tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46226803993386833012018-02-17T19:01:11.563-08:00Female Muscle Slave6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.comBlogger1793125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-55273196664115984512018-02-17T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-17T01:00:15.937-08:0010 Years at the Arnold Classic: 2008With the 2018 edition of the Arnold Classic opening its doors next Thursday (1st March), we thought it might be both a good time and interesting to look back at what's happened there over the last decade. It's seen a lot of change since 2008, much more than we had imagined truth be told, and not simply because of the death of the Ms International. Over the next ten days we'll be seeing how that change has come about and why the 2018 contest will be very different from where we start today - 2008. <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">BRING ON THE AMATEURS</span></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1768fa750335973" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/31/bf/b4/1768fa750335973.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3a735a750336013" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5f/b2/82/3a735a750336013.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />What sets the Arnolds apart from the Olympia is that it is both a pro <b><i>and</i></b> amateur show and has been since 2008, when, for the first time, amateur FBBs were given the chance to compete. 27 took the chance, and were divided into three weight classes - Light, Middle and Heavy. <b>Joanne Stewart</b> of New Zealand (above) won the 12-woman Lightweight class; in the Middleweight class <b>Holly Nicholson</b> edged out <b>Alicia St. Germaine</b> (both below); but there was, according to contemporary reports, a clear winner in the Heavies, and she was to triumph in the Overall posedown too.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3bfd54750336063" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/63/6d/87/3bfd54750336063.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1ceeab750336103" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/87/28/8f/1ceeab750336103.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><i><b>Maria Carmen Gomez Segura</b> dominated the Heavyweight class not only with her physique, but by her stage presence as well. The Arnold Expo spectators came alive during Segura's routine and stayed around to cheer her Overall award later. Her closest competition among the Heavyweights was from the blond Canadian <b>Mary Lynne MacKenzie</b>, although Segura was really in a class of her own.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6ecb5b750336133" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2a/f6/25/6ecb5b750336133.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/857736750336183" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e2/99/18/857736750336183.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Fitness and Figure also featured (<b>Celeste Bonin</b> was one of the Figure competitors - you may have heard of her!), but in terms of where the Arnolds are at now, the fact that the Arnold Amateur began with <b>Maria Segura</b>, one of the biggest beefiest amateurs we've ever seen, walking off with the Overall crown kind of makes it sound like it happened in a different dimension rather than a mere 10 years ago, doesn't it?<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">REMEMBER THE ONE-PIECE?</span></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b9a862750336213" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2b/59/77/b9a862750336213.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b57c9f750336243" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e3/0a/e4/b57c9f750336243.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />And adding to that sense that I was digging up pictures from the dim and distant past was my rediscovery of the Fitness and Figure one-piece. I'd forgotten all about this! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/da81dd750337243" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ec/8a/c9/da81dd750337243.jpg" height="257" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Not a bit missed by this female muscle fan nor, I would imagine, by the competitors themselves. In Figure - why would you <b><i>not</i></b> want to see their abs? Fitness - isn't it enough to parade these poor women around the stage once, sapping the little strength left in their depleted bodies before they perform their impossibly demanding routines? Making them parade twice - and change in between! - seems almost sadistic now.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/954333750336283" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9d/1d/84/954333750336283.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/fe1a46750336313" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/3e/74/75/fe1a46750336313.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><b>Kim Klein</b> (top left and above) was #1 in a 12-strong Fitness line-up that included <b>Mindi O'Brien</b>. <b>Gina Aliotti</b> (top right and middle) beat 15 other women to the Figure title. Two names with better days at the Arnolds ahead both finished way behind Gina that day - <b>Nicole Wilkins</b> (11th) and <b>Juliana Malacarne</b> (12th).<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">IRIS' BUMP YEAR</span></b> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/40460f750336343" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c3/dd/4a/40460f750336343.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c671e7750336373" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/35/7b/9f/c671e7750336373.jpg" /></a><br /><br />This was the Ms International where Iris finished 7th despite being at the height of her powers and undefeated at the Arnolds since 2002. The reason, for some time, remained a mystery. <i>I’m still quite puzzled,</i> said Iris many days after the show. <i>I have received no feedback, leaving me with thousands of unanswered questions. I made a couple of calls but I couldn’t get through.</i> Only much later did the Head Judge Sandy Ranalli confirm a rumour that "bumps" were responsible for Iris' placing during a radio interview. <i>Her shoulders were a little bit, you know, distorted. There were distortions in her glute area,</i> she said. <i>At this level of competition, [there is] not a big difference between athletes, those things come into play. It was the distortion.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/68a107750336423" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e1/fd/11/68a107750336423.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a10bf7750336473" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e5/93/25/a10bf7750336473.jpg" /></a><br /><br />As these things went in those days, Iris didn't win so Yaxeni did. Just my opinion, but one or two of the rest of the top 6 might well still feel they could have got the nod instead.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8f9593750344173" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/13/93/48/8f9593750344173.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8ed49b750344243" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/97/9f/17/8ed49b750344243.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">BRITISH INTEREST?</span></b><br /><br />Nope.<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-2420134980529341532018-02-16T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-16T01:00:05.978-08:00Modern BeautyThe title of our final post in this week of love and devotion says it all pretty much.<br /><br />Inspiration for <a href="https://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hot-and-hard-100-2018-votes-please.html" target="_blank">your <b>HOT AND HARD 100</b> votes</a> perhaps?<br /><br />Certainly a kick in the teeth for the "they look like men" brigade.<br /><br />Enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/52988f749399373" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/bd/60/49/52988f749399373.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9c1866749399593" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f7/5f/3b/9c1866749399593.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/70f64a749399613" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/30/63/c4/70f64a749399613.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/16edd0749399383" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9b/55/08/16edd0749399383.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/43e51d749399623" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9d/5a/a9/43e51d749399623.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/35bf43749399643" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/dd/64/ff/35bf43749399643.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b42e54749399393" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fd/ca/24/b42e54749399393.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/05fd24749399403" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/30/c0/21/05fd24749399403.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c2d8b6749399413" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/05/ef/4c/c2d8b6749399413.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f78b52749399663" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a5/ea/53/f78b52749399663.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/517864749399683" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ff/9d/bc/517864749399683.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4e81ae749399423" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/0e/7a/48/4e81ae749399423.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><i>Just <b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: large;">12</span> DAYS LEFT</span></b> to <a href="https://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hot-and-hard-100-2018-votes-please.html" target="_blank">get those votes in!</a><br /><br />A massive thank you to everyone who has voted already - again, please, if you voted via the comment box, rest assured I <b>do</b> have your vote. It hasn't appeared there yet because I haven't published it (ie. made it public) yet. Your votes have been counted and will be published after <b>voting closes for everyone on the 28th February</b>.</i> <br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-60679318213177317882018-02-15T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-15T01:00:32.000-08:00A Passionate ManSWELL DIGS...<b> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://implantsandmuscles.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">IMPLANTS and MUSCLES</a></span></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d30fd4749360653" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ef/0b/6d/d30fd4749360653.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/de2e00749360683" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/4f/e8/7f/de2e00749360683.jpg" /></a> <br /><i>Everything I want. Everything I dream about.</i><br /><br />No, this is not me coming out on the side of the "enhanced" in the eternal chest debate, but rather the title of, in my opinion at least, one of the very few female muscle focused blogs on Tumblr actually worth following. <i>I love women with implants, I love women with muscles,</i> explains its author. <i>I love women with implants and muscles.</i> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/559fac749360733" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/cb/29/2c/559fac749360733.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/742742749360763" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/dd/cb/d9/742742749360763.jpg" /></a><br /><i><b>Christi</b> [<b>Wolf</b>], the first real bimbo-FBB. Glammed up, big hair, drag queen make-up, stripper heels and slutty clothes, but then big hard muscles and big fake tits. That WPW spread from 84,365,423 years ago — game changer.</i><br /><br />Your average FBB fan Tumblr is hardly worth the storage space it takes up. Same old photos, reblogged over and over with the same old comments, if indeed there is any comment at all. I may not like everything Implants and Muscles posts, and I may not agree with everything he says, but at least he says it in a unique, original voice. He's thought-provoking, he's entertaining. At least he says something different. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/182c86749361163" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/72/f0/4b/182c86749361163.jpg" height="214" width="400" /></a> <br /><i>So much ass muscle. Clydesdale of a woman.</i><br /><br />I appreciate and admire his (more often than not brutal) honesty. I appreciate and respect his knowledge of Female Bodybuilders past and present. And I appreciate his humour - he's the only female muscle blogger who's made me actually laugh out loud. But above all, (and, despite the title, this is not exclusively reserved for the enhanced muscular woman) I recognise his burning, uncontrollable passion for female muscle.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/828e93749361203" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f4/3c/b8/828e93749361203.jpg" height="299" width="400" /></a> <br /><i>If you were mine and I was around you all the time, I’d permanently be hard. I could never not be hard when you’re around. You could test it whenever you wanted. We could be out walking around and all you’d have to do is rub your hand down there and I guarantee you’d feel a lead pipe in there with your name on it.&nbsp;Is that what you want? Is that something you desire? Do you want your man’s cock to be constantly rock hard for you, throbbing for you? Do you want your man to be edging for you 24 hours a day because that’s what I offer. I’d live for you. All the blood would go to my cock, but if you were mine I know I’d never die cos I’d already be in heaven.</i><br /><br />This passion manifests itself in gushing, heartfelt professions of undying love like that for <b>Isabelle Turell</b> above, but also a very real cam addiction. <i>30 minutes and $300 later... now my balls feel almost as empty as my heart,</i> he confessed on February 5th. And then, just a few days ago, another howl of anguish after the pleasure. <i>And now another $100... Why do I spend money on it when I can get off for free. Fuk!</i> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8fddc7749361313" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/53/ab/69/8fddc7749361313.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><i>Just look at how well her body responded to the drugs. Look at how buff they made her. It’s incredible. She, herself looks amazed. You know how hard it is to develop pecs like that!</i> <br /><br />I know full well the pleasure, and pain, of such splurging. And the short answer to his "Why do I do it?" question is that it really isn't quite like anything else. The high is very addictive, but for me, in the end, the self-loathing won out - not long before I started on this blog, probably not coincidentally. Perhaps Implants and Muscles needs another outlet for his talents to let go of that particular habit? Worked for me!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/cbc465749361333" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/92/7e/aa/cbc465749361333.jpg" height="400" width="395" /></a> <br /><i>At the gym. Look over and see this woman taking a selfie of her injection points on her arm. Cock grows right out of your shorts and exceeds your typical length by several inches. You start spewing cum like a fire hose. You’ve found your soulmate.</i><br /><br />Perhaps he just needs to find his? <br /><br />As well as the "injection points"(!), she'll need a sense of humour...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/28e200749361343" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e6/db/1a/28e200749361343.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><i>"Hey! My eyes are up here! Hey-I’m talking to you! Hello? (Ergh!) Why do you always do this? Why must you always stare at my crotch, huh? I mean, even when we’re in public, I look over and you’re staring directly at my fucking crotch. I admit, at first it was kind of sexy—you had never seen a cock get this big and you would just go to town on me for hours, but now I think you’re seriously obsessed with my dick, like you have an actual problem and it’s not funny anymore! It’s like you don’t even want me anymore, you just want my penis."</i><br /><br /><a href="https://implantsandmuscles.tumblr.com/" target="_blank"><i>Implants and Muscles</i> on Tumblr</a><br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-60829159855375078462018-02-14T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-14T01:00:26.073-08:00The World's In Love... With Female Muscle?!<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/fba109748304013" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/11/b6/74/fba109748304013.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Recent news from the US that some proper science has proved women prefer a toned, muscular look over a skinny one was most welcome here at FMS, not least because it implies the collective "we" now know for sure we've been backing a winner all along.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/274308748304023" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/0c/58/2e/274308748304023.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />The study, carried out at the University of Missouri-Kansas, involved accessing photos of the Miss USA winners between 1999 to 2013. These winners, the researchers concluded, have become more muscular over time. In addition, 64 undergraduates were shown pictures of 14 women. "There were two pictures of each - one version depicting her real body, and another where any muscular definition had been digitally removed. This resulted in one 'thin only' image, and another 'toned and thin' picture."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ed52fe748304043" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/30/2e/87/ed52fe748304043.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />"When participants were shown each image individually, there was no difference in how each was rated. However, when participants were shown the twin images side by side, the more muscular versions of the women were deemed to be more attractive."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e915f0748304183" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2d/7d/00/e915f0748304183.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0b3f6f748304193" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/77/35/bb/0b3f6f748304193.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />The conclusion? <i><b>There has been a shift in the thin ideal female figure to one that now includes the appearance of physical fitness via muscularity.</b></i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e9804a748304053" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c3/60/43/e9804a748304053.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Of course, none of this should really be "news" to us <i>cognoscenti</i>. If you saw the story yourself - and it was hard to get away from at the end of January - you were probably, like me, nodding vigorously as the study credited the shift towards muscularity to "an increasing number of women discovering the benefits of weight-training in the gym, 'fitspiration' Instagram accounts, and <i>#strongnotskinny</i> trending on social media."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e23a9c748304073" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/96/f8/a3/e23a9c748304073.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />We shouldn't get too carried away. The 'toned and thin' look is not, I imagine, one we would even recognise as "muscular", unlikely to even hold a candle to your average amateur Bikini competitor, a world away from even the Figure phenoms we adore, light years from our Physique dreams, and in an altogether different universe from the so-called hardcore FBBs. Nevertheless, the study strongly suggests that the women we love are now a step (albeit a baby step) closer to becoming the female physical ideal. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/db566d748304083" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/da/ef/40/db566d748304083.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Though this seems unlikely to happen - at this rate anyway - in our lifetimes, I suddenly now feel with absolute confidence that it is going to happen eventually.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/38f903748304093" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5e/ba/c8/38f903748304093.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><i>In the meantime...<br /><br />Why not help the world fall in love with female muscle a tiny bit faster?</i> <br /><br /><b><a href="https://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hot-and-hard-100-2018-votes-please.html" target="_blank">JUST 2 WEEKS LEFT TO GET YOUR 2018 HOT AND HARD 100 VOTES IN!</a></b><br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-59054844689700864022018-02-13T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-13T08:01:38.811-08:00A Fine VintageSWELL DIGS...<b> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/stlr7777/featured?disable_polymer=1" target="_blank">VINTAGE AMAZONIA</a></span></b> <br /><br />No, it's not a new female muscle memorabilia site where you can bid for <b>Denise Rutkowski</b>'s golden posing suit, <b>Tazzie Colomb</b>'s Little Kitty hot pants (unwashed) from that SheMuscle video, or the shredded remains of one of many shirts destroyed by Angie or Julie or Annie over the years. Cracking idea though that may be for a revenue stream for the ladies, you'll find <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/stlr7777/featured?disable_polymer=1" target="_blank">Vintage Amazonia on YouTube</a>. <br /><br />That's hardly breaking news - the channel has been around for over five years now - and I'm sure many of you are already familiar with its focus on 80s/90s muscle from US TV that, as well as contests, includes FBB talk show appearances, American Gladiator profiles, and (its earliest posts) the Lynda Carter <i>Wonder Woman</i>. <br /><br />Lots to enjoy, and there are also unique clips - the edits of a number of routines by individual women spread over a period of their competitive career. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nquUgm2vR4" target="_blank"><b>Sue Price</b> 1990-95</a>,&nbsp;for example - well worth eleven and a half minutes of your female muscle lovin' time - though my personal fave has got to be the <b>Suzan Kaminga</b> 1993-95 collection. <br /><br />Feel the heat!<br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/teDo_pfeq9M" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />The channel's trend now seems to be very occasional posting but as the clips have been entire ESPN broadcasts of national level shows from the 90s, each is a real event.<br /><br />These were still days of shredded-to-the-bone competitors, all oil and striations, presenting their beautiful bodies with the kind of erotic artistry so rare nowadays in posing suits that left a lot less to the imagination than contemporary ones do. <br /><br />Just last week I enjoyed the 1994 NPC Nationals with a couple of like-mindeds, and we were all, you might say, completely blown away. <b>Michelle Ralabate</b>, <b>Clifta Coulter</b>, <b>Peggy Schoolcraft</b> - just three of the swoons in the Lightweight class alone!<br /><br />Trust me (and I am 100% certain my like-minded friends would say the same thing) if you haven't done so already, you really should make time for <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/stlr7777/featured?disable_polymer=1" target="_blank">Vintage Amazonia</a>.<br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/F6X3JbIfblg" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Enjoy!6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-34958623702101244752018-02-12T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-12T01:00:20.138-08:00The Pantheon<i>Who's Your Favourite Female Bodybuilder?<br /><br />Your Top 10?<br /><br />List Your Top 5 All-time FBBs</i><br /><br />It didn't take me long to find three threads on the forum whose first rule is... <br /><br />We love asking each other these kinds of questions. In the last few weeks alone I have personally been asked by email or in a chat room to list my "all-time top 5", say which FBB I would most like to have live next door to me/have a date with/marry, and even who is my all-time favourite "ugly FBB" (seriously, you want to talk about <i><b>that?!</b></i>). <br /><br />I generally avoid answering the question. <br /><br />But once upon a time, not that long before I started FMS, I did, in a notebook make a kind of list of my personal favourites, and in the years since I have kept that page and added or (much less often) taken names off. However, I've never changed the title: <br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;"><u>THE PANTHEON</u></span></b><br /><br />And I chose it because back in Ancient Greece and Rome, a pantheon was the name given to a temple that was not dedicated to one god, but all of them, collectively.<br /><br />On this page of my notebook I would write only the names of the greatest muscle goddesses. The "untouchable", those for whom my attraction/affection/admiration or whatever had never waned and, as far as I could tell anyway, would never wane.<br /><br />And just as the gods of the Greeks and the Romans had a hierarchy, so did mine.<br /><br />At the top, the two names I type when asked for my "all-time favourite". The most untouchable deities of all, as thrilling for me to revisit now as at first swoon.<br /><br /><b>DENISE HOSHOR</b> and <b>GINA DAVIS</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/edd898742670293" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/eb/24/1c/edd898742670293.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d03a9e742670323" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b1/e8/5a/d03a9e742670323.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />They are hardly uncommon choices as fans' #1 and I would guess one or the other would feature in most heads' thinking if pressed to compile an all-time 5/10/20 list, even if they didn't ultimately make it on there. The popularity of Denise's WPW and Ray Martin work is well-documented (I believe one of her WPW videos is their all-time best seller, or at least was a few years ago). Part of Gina's appeal - it seems to me - lies in the fact that she wasn't actually around and competing for very long and so left us wanting more, and the other significant part of it is staring you in the face above and below.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a46d23742670333" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ad/96/0a/a46d23742670333.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0c5dfd742670363" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/57/e6/47/0c5dfd742670363.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Why these two? <br /><br />Something about their combination of beauty plus massive muscle is what I've always said to others (and to myself), but I am less convinced about that now because I could list 60 or more women who combine or combined exactly that off the top of my head right now. I think it's more to do with the moment I discovered them. Kind of "religious" experiences they were, I can recall the when and the where even today (and I first saw Denise around 20 years ago now) and, crucially, the ecstatic rush.<br /><br />I have never even been close to adding another name to The Pantheon's top level.<br /><br />And neither, though I have been tempted, have I altered the names on the next - not nearly so "untouchable" but like D&amp;G still pretty damn effing untouchable - level. <br /><br /><b>ANJA LANGER</b> and <b>ZUZANNA KORINKOVA</b> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c6904c742670393" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9d/39/62/c6904c742670393.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c909d4742670413" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/99/f3/19/c909d4742670413.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Anja was my first really big female muscle love - the <i>Muscle &amp; Fitness</i> covergirl of my first ever magazine purchase. Zuzana I also saw for the first time on a page and though I can't remember the magazine I remember the Zuzana pictorial very well. I guess the Anja of that late 1980s <i>Muscle &amp; Fitness</i> will always be my favourite Anja, but it was the beefier, bulging Zuzana that I discovered on the webpages of WPW years after I'd first seen her in print that has kept her name in the highest reaches of The Pantheon.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/bcdc8a742670443" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/dc/da/d0/bcdc8a742670443.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/33f928742670453" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/3e/72/bc/33f928742670453.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><b>THE 3rd LEVEL</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/206196742671013" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/81/f5/7d/206196742671013.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/347060742671033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ad/06/54/347060742671033.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2e0b67742671093" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/0e/1e/b7/2e0b67742671093.jpg" height="200" width="133" /></a> <br /><br />The Pantheon has four levels in all, but after the exclusive, rarefied atmosphere of these uppermost two, it suddenly starts to get a lot more crowded. Seven goddesses reside on the third level, and this group has often seen revisions such as the most recent, the casting out of <b>Denise Rutkowski</b> (I'm sorry but every time I see her now I see that mugshot in my mind and it's a <b><i>huge</i></b> turn off) and, less recently I would think, the addition of <b>Dena Westerfield</b>, <b>Colette Nelson</b>, and <b>Heather Policky</b>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/613a8c742670483" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b7/8e/dc/613a8c742670483.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f653c8742670493" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/43/b8/0c/f653c8742670493.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />And there are those who were there from the beginning: <b>Natalia Murnikoviene</b>, <b>Melissa Coates</b> (before it all went a bit Pete Tong, obviously), <b>Dorothy Herndon</b> - my next big muscle love after Anja, again the result of seeing her on the cover of a magazine - and <b>Sharon Bruneau</b> (another very common "all-time" choice).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/00da7c742670513" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fb/23/3f/00da7c742670513.jpg" height="200" width="166" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2191cc742670523" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/cf/1b/00/2191cc742670523.jpg" height="200" width="166" /></a> <br /><br /><b>LEVEL 4</b><br /><br />Five women, at least two of them probably overdue a promotion! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/cc789a742670563" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/72/c1/a6/cc789a742670563.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f4c6e0742670593" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/76/85/ed/f4c6e0742670593.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />The beautiful <b>Sophie Duquette</b> - her Awefilms work in particular still makes the Earth move under my feet... and <b>Michelle Andrea</b>, who I think was the first FBB I ever saw photographed <i>au naturel</i> - quite a moment in my female muscle lovin' life.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/21627b742672273" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/31/9d/a8/21627b742672273.jpg" height="270" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Marja...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d24242742670633" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/07/16/a3/d24242742670633.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6a84bd742670643" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/da/0d/b0/6a84bd742670643.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And finally, <b>Michelle Neil</b> (who, like Gina, left us - or at least me - wishing she had stayed a little longer), and the vast expanses of <b>Paula Suzuki</b>'s epic physique - enjoyed best from the rear unless she's doing an abs and thigh pose (in my opinion).<br /><br />Door closed. That's all of them.<br /><br />There's no Alina, no Oana, no Yaxeni, no Helle, no Margie for good reason - they're still at it, more or less. My Pantheon, my rules, and the most important is that you don't get in until you finish. Yes, I know, Dena hasn't exactly finished, but I thought she had so she got in then got promoted and I am not going to show her the door because she's given me the added bonus of being able to enjoy her cam shows again. <b><i>In general</i></b> the rule is that only applications from the "inactive" (by my definition) will be considered.<br /><br />Nor are there the kind of Hall of Fame names like Cory or Lenda, nor (perhaps <b>Paula Suzuki</b> is the exception) are there any of the really big beasts (Collette with two Ls and that other thing between her legs, <b>Renee Toney</b> etc.). All great, don't get me wrong, but I can come and go on these women. The 16 above all once came into that special place in my female muscle lovin' heart, and, years and years later, are still there.<br /><br /><i>Don't you dare start making your own Pantheon now - get busy with that other list.</i><br /><br /><b><a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hot-and-hard-100-2018-votes-please.html" target="_blank">16 HOT and HARD 100 VOTING DAYS LEFT</a></b>6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-35442105632656849472018-02-11T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-11T01:00:15.970-08:00Heart MuscleIt's become our custom to get all muscle loved up in St. Valentina's Week, and it'll be more of the same this year. With the <a href="https://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hot-and-hard-100-2018-votes-please.html" target="_blank">2018 <b>Hot and Hard 100</b></a> voting now open, there won't be too much focus on "current" (or in FMS' case more often than not "current a couple of weeks ago") female muscle so as not to unduly influence anyone's selections.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e12174742517963" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b2/14/f9/e12174742517963.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />We begin this <b>Week of <span style="color: red;">LOVE</span></b> with hearts.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/036f00742517993" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/74/31/6b/036f00742517993.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Now we've seen this kind of heart before on FMS, and editorial were a little concerned this post would just be a rehash of a previous one focusing on the heart made by ripped hamstrings in the "moon pose" or similar. But ol' Swell has found hearts elsewhere too.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f19292742518493" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f9/bb/58/f19292742518493.jpg" height="400" width="236" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4aa63d742518523" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/06/d9/ba/4aa63d742518523.jpg" height="400" width="236" /></a> <br /><br />Bum hearts! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c7a6af742518003" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/54/da/b9/c7a6af742518003.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Often, though not exclusively, Brazilian.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/23912e742518023" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a1/58/0a/23912e742518023.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Some, it seems, can even sweat hearts!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8b1525742518043" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/33/87/91/8b1525742518043.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Whether by design (I imagine, could such a perfect heart shape be coincidental?) or (I'm much more convinced by sweaty beast <b>Irina Derkachyova</b>) accident.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/867fed742518073" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/86/e3/6b/867fed742518073.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And, best for last, an entire heart-shaped upper body!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2efe71742518103" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f2/25/26/2efe71742518103.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Shanique. Who else?!<br /><br />Feel the <b><span style="color: red;">LOVE</span></b> all week on FMS.<br /><br />And don't forget - just <b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hot-and-hard-100-2018-votes-please.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">17</span> DAYS LEFT OF 2018 HOT AND HARD 100 VOTING</a></span></b> <br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-72070911593620988662018-02-10T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-10T01:00:00.765-08:00Happy St. Valentina's DayA few years ago we discovered that today, February 10th, is the feast day of Saint Valentina. The ancient Latin name 'Valentina', we were delighted to learn, means "strong, vigorous and healthy", and since then we have commemorated the 10th February by 'canonising' three Valentinas - two Ukrainians and one Russian...<br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/msolympia2000/?hl=en" target="_blank">ST. VALENTINA OF KHARKIV</a></b> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c92869741227403" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/be/85/93/c92869741227403.jpg" height="358" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Also known as <b>Valentina Chepiga</b>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ee0694741227473" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/64/48/b4/ee0694741227473.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />One of the four European Ms Olympias in its history, and still pumping at 55.<br /><br /><b>ST. VALENTINA THE AMATEUR</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/25fde4741228953" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/35/36/67/25fde4741228953.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e594d1741229003" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f6/5c/72/e594d1741229003.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><b>Valentina Yefymchuk</b>, 2006 NABBA Worlds and 2010 NABBA Universe champion. <br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/HrBnnbfdQD8" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />That 2010 Universe was the last time the contest featured a female "Physique" (ie. Bodybuilding) class, so Valentina could still claim to be the reigning champ! <br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mishina_valentina_ifbb_pro/?hl=en" target="_blank">ST. VALENTINA THE SADIST</a></b> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4a791b741227483" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e0/60/6a/4a791b741227483.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Our most recent St. Valentina is also our youngest. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5948de741227543" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ad/f6/42/5948de741227543.jpg" height="332" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Since her canonisation, <b>Valentina Mishina</b> has, we are pleased to report, joined the IFBB pro ranks. Already - thanks in no small part to her exceptional lower body - she has 6 2018 Olympia qualification points in the bag after a 2nd and a 4th place at (respectively) the Ferrigno Legacy and Ultimate Warriors pro events in November.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/acfd08741229033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d5/a1/6e/acfd08741229033.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/7f3c24741229073" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/32/22/6f/7f3c24741229073.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Today we celebrate "strong, vigorous and healthy" women everywhere. There's no prescriptive dogma in the Order of the Female Muscle Lovin' Brethren. Pay tribute to any or all of our St. Valentinas, or to any one or more of the "strong, vigorous and healthy" women in your (real or fantasy) life. It's pretty much like any other day.<br /><br /><b><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2018/02/hot-and-hard-100-2018-votes-please.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">18</span> DAYS LEFT OF 2018 HOT AND HARD 100 VOTING</a></span></b><br /><br /><b><i>Thanks to everyone who has voted so far. If you've already voted and have used the comment box option rather than email (or are thinking about doing so), please be assured I do receive your votes but I will only publish them (ie. make them visible to all) once the voting is closed.</i></b> 6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-82868695443644953212018-02-01T01:00:00.000-08:002018-02-01T01:00:36.715-08:00Hot and Hard 100 2018: Votes Please!Yes, it's that time of year again...<br /><br />Back in 2014, <b><span style="font-size: large;">I HAD A DREAM...</span></b><br /><br />Every year, in case you don't know, "gentleman's" magazine FHM carries out a readers' poll and publishes the results in a special issue. The UK edition even holds an awards ceremony in a plush London venue to publicise it. The subject of the poll and the title of that special issue is misleading: <b><i>THE SEXIEST WOMEN IN THE WORLD</i></b>.<br /><br />Where, I wondered, is our list?<br /><br />I dreamed about compiling an alternative list to FHM's. A <b>HOT AND HARD 100</b>. I could have just chosen 100 women myself, but I decided I'd much rather make it a collective effort and get the input of FMS readers. The call went out, and, I am eternally grateful that so many of you, for the last four years, have answered that call.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE WINNERS</span></b><br /><br /><i>HOTTEST HARD WOMAN IN THE WORLD 2014</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b2f9ff728338563" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fa/8b/b3/b2f9ff728338563.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/7702d8728338583" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/73/27/73/7702d8728338583.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><b>ALINA POPA</b><br /><i>2. Shannon Courtney, 3. Mavi Gioia, 4. Juliana Malacarne, <br />5. Brie Eubanks, 6. Kashma Maharaj, 7. Elena Oana Hreapca, <br />8. Okasana Grishina, 9. Larissa Reis, 10. Heidi Vuorela</i><br /><br /><br /><i>HOTTEST HARD WOMAN IN THE WORLD 2015</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2076f5728338603" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/cb/22/11/2076f5728338603.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ef2e43728338643" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d5/a7/c4/ef2e43728338643.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><b>SHANNON COURTNEY</b><br /><i>2. Aleesha Young, 3. Elena Oana Hreapca, 4. Dani Reardon,<br />5. Alina Popa, 6. Suzy Kellner, 7. Mavi Gioia,<br />8. Tina Chandler, 9. Cindy Landolt, 10. Karina Nascimento</i><br /><br /><br /><i>HOTTEST HARD WOMAN IN THE WORLD 2016</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ddacff728338673" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c7/43/ff/ddacff728338673.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/77aff4728338703" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e7/2f/6d/77aff4728338703.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><b>CRIS GOY ARELLANO</b><br /><i>2. Aleesha Young, 3. Helle Trevino, 4. Theresa Ivancik, <br />5. Elena Oana Hreapca, 6. Alina Popa, 7. Shannon Courtney,<br />8. Mavi Gioia, 9. Erica Blockman, 10. Melissa Wee</i><br /><br /><br /><i>HOTTEST HARD WOMAN IN THE WORLD 2017</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6a72cb728339043" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/bf/59/1a/6a72cb728339043.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><b>ELENA OANA HREAPCA</b><br /><i>2. Theresa Ivancik, 3. Alina Popa, 4. Selma Labat,<br />5. Sarah Williams, 6. Cris Goy Arellano, 7. Eleonora Dobrinina,<br />8. Margie Martin, 9. Helle Trevino, 10. Cindy Landolt</i> <br /><br /><br /><i>HOTTEST HARD WOMAN IN THE WORLD 2018</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/58dc64728339053" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/33/20/80/58dc64728339053.jpg" height="397" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE VOTING</span></b><br /><br />It's not complicated. There are just two rules...<br /><br /><b>1. You can vote for up to 100 women.</b><br /><br />Want to vote for just one? Fine. 15? Fine. 50? Excellent! 100? Magic! <br /><br />But don't vote for any more than that. Simples.<br /><br /><b>2. It's the Hottest Hard Women of <i>NOW</i>. Not Ever.</b><br /><br />Don't vote for your all-time favourites who have fallen off the radar in "retirement". <br /><br />Quite simply, it's a waste of a vote. It won't be counted. Not sure if one of the ladies you've voted for qualifies? Just put an alternate name next to hers in case she doesn't.<br /><br />But you don't have to limit yourself to "bodybuilders". There were more WPD women than FBBs on last year's list, and there were women from the Figure, Fitness and Bikini divisions. Crossfitters always get a significent number of votes, and there are always at least a few votes for powerlifters, weightlifters and women from other sports. <br /><br />All clear?<br /><br />You are at liberty to rank the women from 1 (your favourite) to 100, rank some of them (eg. a top ten), or just list them in no particular order. Rankings are only taken into account if there's a tie on the number of votes two or more women receive. <br /><br />Use the comment box below, or email <i>6ft1swell@gmail.com</i><br /><br />Voting closes on the last day of February, so you have four weeks from now.<br /><br />Now get busy making my dream come true for the <b>fifth</b> time!<br /><br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-26848177973928086422018-01-28T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-28T01:00:57.485-08:00January Clearance! [V-Z]"Too many to feature here" is a phrase I seem to have typed a lot over the past year, referring to the vast number of women and/or images the female muscle head is faced with in these instant information times. On the upside, you never go short. The downside for the blogger is there are far too many to feature here - there I go again.<br /><br />It felt wrong just to forget about the women we intended to feature at some stage during 2017 but didn't. Firstly, the fact they have come to our attention at all is the result of some pretty solid sifting by the FMS research team, and it would just be plain rude to ignore all that hard work. And secondly, it's not the case that we once thought these women were worth posting about and don't anymore - we still do. <br /><br />The solution we came up with is <b><i>The FMS January Clearance</i></b> - we're going to feature <b><i>all</i></b> the women who are taking up space in the "TBC" folder on the 2017 planner. And you're getting them all together in a sort of but not really alphabetical order (you'll see what I mean). Further your enjoyment by clicking on the names. <br /><br />Welcome to our final selection!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/vika_pogribnyak/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">V</span>IKA POGRIBNIAK</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2927ac728323673" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ba/46/3d/2927ac728323673.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d75159728323693" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b5/ee/18/d75159728323693.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />I do remember Vika almost making it onto the blog last spring, when just before she took 3rd at the European Championships a plethora of pics went up on the forums of her looking very hard and veiny. Throw in a few clips of Vika teasing us with her charms, and the combination of freaky vascularity and "irresistible girliness" was the cue for a mini fan hysteria, which, although brief, was hysteria nonetheless.<br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/OpASN0hmU2o" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Despite appearances to the contrary though, the 2016 Ukrainian Bodyfitness champ is quite a bit more womanly than you might think, and is in fact going to be 30 this year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2f5b28728323933" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8b/13/49/2f5b28728323933.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f8296e728323943" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8a/ec/e8/f8296e728323943.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Vika certainly seems to love showing it off, and that confidence (/arrogance) is also apparent in her contest shots, I think. She looks very comfortable and very happy up there. You wouldn't know the Europeans was her first international competition.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/wendisbethbodyfit/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">W</span>ENDY GRANADOS</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/628046728324353" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/38/50/93/628046728324353.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Good Venezuelan news stories have been hard to come by in the last year, but for <b>Wendy Granados</b>, 2017 was as good as it gets. She was South American Bodyfitness champ as long ago as 2014, but in 2017 she added three more titles to her collection, including the Overall titles at the NAC and Amateur Olympia South America.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/40e421728324383" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/36/a1/3a/40e421728324383.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />The above was FMS' introduction to Wendy, and the staff toilet was a tad busy for a while after it did the office rounds. Just another reminder that I will probably get arrested for indecent exposure if I ever get to stroll along a South American beach. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/724e1c728324833" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5e/3b/d4/724e1c728324833.jpg" height="200" width="175" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8ad6c4728324853" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/4e/ef/bb/8ad6c4728324853.jpg" height="200" width="176" /></a> <br /><br />An essential <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wendisbethbodyfit/?hl=en" target="_blank">IG follow</a>.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kristabethhh/?hl=en" target="_blank">KRISTA <span style="font-size: large;">W</span>HARTON</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c47a98728324393" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/1f/6a/13/c47a98728324393.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Another Figure competitor, and another different look. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8ab885728323713" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8c/1f/85/8ab885728323713.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ed3a2f728323733" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/83/bd/e4/ed3a2f728323733.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Krista actually came pretty close to winning a pro card in 2016 with a 3rd place at the Jr USAs. Despite winning her class at the amateur show that takes place around the Tampa Pro, she only just made the top 6 at the IFBB North Americans in 2017.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/20dad6728324403" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/86/84/ec/20dad6728324403.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Still, when your transformation story is as complete as Krista's, every day must feel like a win. Three years it has taken her to go from the lady on the left to the goddess on the right. And she's not finished yet. <i>I love the sport even more now than I did when it was all brand new and exciting,</i> she says. <i>And my goals are so much bigger now!</i><br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/yvette_agocs/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">Y</span>VETTE AGOCS</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/976f46728324413" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/92/c2/3a/976f46728324413.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Another of the seemingly endless supply of muscular Hungarian women who come to our attention through the work of the mighty Zoltan Veigh, <b>Yvette Agocs</b> has only recently started to crop up on the forums, and we know next to nothing about her. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a3399e728323973" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d9/99/93/a3399e728323973.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1c051b728324003" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/91/ae/1c/1c051b728324003.jpg" /></a> <br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/477e77728324033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c1/14/f2/477e77728324033.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/02024f728324053" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e8/c4/2a/02024f728324053.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />But we do like the direction she's heading in!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/olhazhelamska/" target="_blank">OLHA <span style="font-size: large;">Z</span>HELAMSKA</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/616a89728324423" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/03/71/1f/616a89728324423.jpg" height="293" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Our 35th and final never-seen-before-on-FMS tribute is to the Physique dream and EVLS Prague Amateur champ <b>Olha</b> (or Olya or Olga) <b>Zhelamska</b> (or Zhelamskaya) (depending on where you are searching - such confusion is exactly the sort of thing that prevents us bringing you women like Olha/Olya/Olga sooner you know). <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4ee6dd728323743" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b3/93/ac/4ee6dd728323743.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/fbaadd728323773" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/19/65/b5/fbaadd728323773.jpg" /></a><br /><br />She is, we think, originally from Russia but is now pumping away in Czechia (perhaps the name change(s) have something to do with that. Although the EVLS was by far the biggest win of her career to date, she's been competing for at least 8 years, which is not hard to believe looking at her very meaty and well-balanced physique. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c74447728324073" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/6e/4a/ce/c74447728324073.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8769f2728324093" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/71/d4/9e/8769f2728324093.jpg" /></a><br /><br />A beautiful way to end the week.<br /><br /><br />And, unfortunately, to end daily posting for a while. Work commitments have been piling up so FMS will be a little irregular for the time being - hopefully not too long.<br /><br />But that doesn't mean you'll be completely FMS-less. Watch out for the odd post, including a <b><i>very important one</i></b> on 1st February which you won't want to miss.<br /><br />Thank you all for your continuing support!<br /><i>6ft1swell</i><br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-82211358142991492952018-01-27T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-27T01:00:28.829-08:00January Clearance! [S-U]"Too many to feature here" is a phrase I seem to have typed a lot over the past year, referring to the vast number of women and/or images the female muscle head is faced with in these instant information times. On the upside, you never go short. The downside for the blogger is there are far too many to feature here - there I go again.<br /><br />It felt wrong just to forget about the women we intended to feature at some stage during 2017 but didn't. Firstly, the fact they have come to our attention at all is the result of some pretty solid sifting by the FMS research team, and it would just be plain rude to ignore all that hard work. And secondly, it's not the case that we once thought these women were worth posting about and don't anymore - we still do. <br /><br />The solution we came up with is <b><i>The FMS January Clearance</i></b> - we're going to feature <b><i>all</i></b> the women who are taking up space in the "TBC" folder on the 2017 planner. And you're getting them all together in a sort of but not really alphabetical order (you'll see what I mean). Further your enjoyment by clicking on the names. <br /><br />Five beautiful bods a day for seven days. Have fun!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/shepkal/?hl=en" target="_blank">KAL <span style="font-size: large;">S</span>HEPPARD</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e383ed728248953" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d2/2d/7d/e383ed728248953.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a621db728249003" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/73/d1/3f/a621db728249003.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />We've seen some Figure ladies with outstanding arm development already this week, but perhaps <b>Kal Sheppard</b>'s arms are the most outstandingly developed of them all.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e85508728250203" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/53/36/22/e85508728250203.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Kal (short for Kalli, apparently) competes in the CBBF, and has made little impression in terms of contest results thus far. Nevertheless, with those arms and those looks, she's gained plenty of attention and has already been snapped by schmotographer Rick Oliver for HerBiceps - which she described as "the most amazing experience".<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9d6530728250223" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a9/c5/d0/9d6530728250223.jpg" height="304" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Expect to see a lot more of her - on the schmotography sites and forums - in 2018. <br /><br /><br />As names go, this next one's a doozy...<br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/shelace_ifbbpro/?hl=en" target="_blank">SHELACE <span style="font-size: large;">S</span>HOEMAKER</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/dbe07b728250243" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a7/bc/cb/dbe07b728250243.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And so, it seems, is the name's owner, a recently-carded IFBB Figure pro and mother from Nevada. <i>I’m not much of a talker,</i> she says. <i>So I let my shirts do it for me.</i> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/122544728250273" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/27/39/9b/122544728250273.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Very eloquent they are too. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/edc74f728250333" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/41/9a/65/edc74f728250333.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And her taste in Halloween costumes isn't too shabby either!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/evil_yve/?hl=en" target="_blank">YVONNE <span style="font-size: large;">T</span>ATARA</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5cb42b728250353" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/46/95/15/5cb42b728250353.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />From Germany, another Figure lady with, as a forum champion of hers points out, "a super V-shape" and much more besides. Too many tats for some, I'm sure, but not too many to prevent her placing 4th in her class at last year's <i>Deutsche Meisterschaft</i>. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b750c9728250373" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/73/ed/21/b750c9728250373.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />If <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BeFrugdgb2L/?hl=en&amp;taken-by=evil_yve" target="_blank">her transformation pics on her IG</a> are anything to go by, it's taken her the best part of five years to achieve her impressively wide-narrow-wide physique, and her many HD workout clips are as exciting as any I've seen recently - she gets quite the pump on.<br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/eTEKqYch3GA" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /><i>Heiß!</i><br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/goddessmandy/?hl=en" target="_blank">MANDY <span style="font-size: large;">U</span>RNER</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/08b68a728249043" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/4f/34/1e/08b68a728249043.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a7f3fe728249093" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e9/0d/e5/a7f3fe728249093.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Our next never-before-posted-on-FMS beauty comes to us from the never-before-reported-on-FMS world of Elite Canadian Championship Wrestling via a more recent foray into Figure competition. Mandy, in her wrestling days when perhaps she wasn't a wrestler but a "valet" (whatever that is, I really don't know what I'm talking about here) went by the name "Goddess Mandy", a moniker she still uses for her social media.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b6f734728250393" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9e/c7/3a/b6f734728250393.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />She seems to either be leaving or actually to have left her wrestle game days behind her now, and she competed, as far as I know, in both Canada and the US last year, not placing very high but certainly coming away more determined to make her mark in Figure. <i>Can't wait to pack on the gains and blow this chick out of the water next year!</i> she wrote as she entered her 2017/18 off-season. <i>Operation build a back 2.0 is already in full swing. I won't rest until my weaknesses become my strengths.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e6779a728250433" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c7/35/1b/e6779a728250433.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Not averse to showing it off in its entirety, if some of her racier IG posts are anything to go by. Maybe we should be paying more attention to what is going on in the ECCW...<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/uugiigambagaa/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">U</span>UGII GAMBAGAA</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/382d01728250443" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d3/b2/f0/382d01728250443.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Seems another world we have neglected is that of Mongolian Female Bodybuilding.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/20bce3728249133" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b7/6a/03/20bce3728249133.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0157ba728249153" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b2/58/ba/0157ba728249153.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><b>Uuugii Gambagaa</b> is its leading light by some distance. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4d6ac6728249193" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e7/1d/4c/4d6ac6728249193.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1bb1b6728249243" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/92/a2/9d/1bb1b6728249243.jpg" /></a><br /><br />The blood of the Great Khan pulses in there somewhere for sure! <br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-84280041894426335522018-01-26T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-26T01:00:46.515-08:00January Clearance! [O-R]"Too many to feature here" is a phrase I seem to have typed a lot over the past year, referring to the vast number of women and/or images the female muscle head is faced with in these instant information times. On the upside, you never go short. The downside for the blogger is there are far too many to feature here - there I go again.<br /><br />It felt wrong just to forget about the women we intended to feature at some stage during 2017 but didn't. Firstly, the fact they have come to our attention at all is the result of some pretty solid sifting by the FMS research team, and it would just be plain rude to ignore all that hard work. And secondly, it's not the case that we once thought these women were worth posting about and don't anymore - we still do. <br /><br />The solution we came up with is <b><i>The FMS January Clearance</i></b> - we're going to feature <b><i>all</i></b> the women who are taking up space in the "TBC" folder on the 2017 planner. And you're getting them all together in a sort of but not really alphabetical order (you'll see what I mean). Further your enjoyment by clicking on the names. <br /><br />Five beautiful bods a day for seven days. Have fun!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/oliviarenee_fit/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">O</span>LIVIA TAYLOR</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ffca8b727295733" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9a/f1/92/ffca8b727295733.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Sometimes... Sometimes it's <b><i>HARD</i></b> to type. I mean, look at this young woman. Wow.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f503a3727296853" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ec/d6/a5/f503a3727296853.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f84d26727296893" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/da/64/c0/f84d26727296893.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Olivia is an NPC Figure competitor with in excess of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/oliviarenee_fit/" target="_blank">22,000 Instagram followers</a>, and is yet to do a national level show. <i>I wonder how many people look at me and assume I’m completely normal,</i> she says. Hmmm. Exactly zero people, I would imagine. Unless having more than your fair share of the <b>Lauren Martin Stow</b> vibe is what "normal" looks like in Phoenix, Arizona. And if that's the case I need to relocate there. Now.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/24d5e7727296923" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/61/82/95/24d5e7727296923.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/daf73c727296973" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/80/81/f2/daf73c727296973.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Or at least right after I sort through the 100+ images of Olivia that made the shortlist for this post, which may take a while. Sometimes this blogging lark is <b><i>HARD</i></b> work. <br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/filipina_flexd/" target="_blank">SAMANTHA <span style="font-size: large;">O</span>PIDA</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/afba52727295753" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/26/3f/9b/afba52727295753.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And here's another young lady not exactly lacking in the looks department.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/26ad76727295843" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d0/fa/5f/26ad76727295843.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Samantha's own unique <b>beauty</b> is of Filipino origin, though she's based in the state of New York. Her <b>brains</b> are currently being employed on a Biology major at university, while her <b>brawn</b> probably came in handy during her times in the US Marines. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0a6750727295913" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ea/27/84/0a6750727295913.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />That top wasn't ripped when she started her workout...<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/piamahlakaarto/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">P</span>IA MAHLAKAARTO</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8bb529727297023" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/57/3e/dc/8bb529727297023.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/bd2699727297033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/87/1f/a6/bd2699727297033.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Finland has produced more than its fair share of worshipful women over the years, and Pia is yet another muscle beauty for the country to be proud of. If you don't already know, take a wild guess as to her age. I'll let you know how accurate you were in a bit. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3a0bd8727295933" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/34/cc/42/3a0bd8727295933.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />She doesn't seem to compete, but she is a supplement company "brand ambassador", so taking pictures of herself looking gorgeous and fit, which is not something I have a problem with at all, is basically her job. When she's not working out, filming herself working out or making other women her age feel inadequate by taking impossibly gorgeous selfies of her lean and muscular body, she's probably tearing along one of Finland's freeways on one of the motorcycles she has an (almost) equal passion for.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4c0280727297073" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/01/fb/4d/4c0280727297073.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e550bc727297113" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c5/6a/cb/e550bc727297113.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Guess the age? 42. For real.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ashpotts22/" target="_blank">ASHLEE <span style="font-size: large;">P</span>OTTS</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/03149d727295953" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f7/cd/bc/03149d727295953.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />I felt like we probably had featured Ashlee before, but I turned out to be wrong, so here for the first time on FMS is one of the more well-known bodies and faces that we've brought you this week. And it's not difficult to see why she has over 40,000 Instagram followers and an ever-growing fanbase among the brethren. Well, at least among the ones who aren't averse to a bit of NPC Figure with a Cameron Diaz vibe thrown in.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e081a3727297173" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f8/14/c7/e081a3727297173.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6c2578727297263" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2b/da/94/6c2578727297263.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Ashlee was competing in 2015, but we haven't found her on stage again since then (though we may be wrong). This hasn't stopped her star rising though - professional photoshoots, appearances in Figure Goddess of the Year polls, that sort of thing. And she's not getting any less good-looking, is she? Nor are those arms getting any smaller.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/bc63c7727296013" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/03/a8/3f/bc63c7727296013.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Another one in the eye for the fake news "muscle women look like men" brigade.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/mrsfitfigure/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">R</span>AYNESHA SHARPE</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/af6a96727297303" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d1/77/f8/af6a96727297303.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9db776727297383" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/6b/6c/91/9db776727297383.jpg" /></a><br /><br />She competed for the very first time in November 2016 and just about bang on a year later she was receiving the runner's-up prize on her pro debut. In between she had won her class at the Jr Nationals. 3 shows, 2 wins and a second. New pro, big potential.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f6fbe8727298133" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/81/8c/62/f6fbe8727298133.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/dfdd0e727298153" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/73/e6/32/dfdd0e727298153.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />She's pretty much got everything. Those cuts on her legs are sublime, Raynesha-sharp abs, and when she turns around and gives you an eyeful of that back and those glutes, it gets even better. The body of a lifetime athlete - cheerleading, diving, rowing, track - honed to perfection in the gym. And she hasn't been training for that long either, only really focusing on weights since the May before her first contest. Great smile too!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d02ecb727296033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/4c/cf/ed/d02ecb727296033.jpg" height="339" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><i>You get what you work for,</i> she says. She must work <b><i>HARD</i></b>.<br /><br /><br />Ten more never-before-on-FMS beauties to come this week. Five of them tomorrow.<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-71408929521932722702018-01-25T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-25T01:00:32.368-08:00January Clearance! [L-N]"Too many to feature here" is a phrase I seem to have typed a lot over the past year, referring to the vast number of women and/or images the female muscle head is faced with in these instant information times. On the upside, you never go short. The downside for the blogger is there are far too many to feature here - there I go again.<br /><br />It felt wrong just to forget about the women we intended to feature at some stage during 2017 but didn't. Firstly, the fact they have come to our attention at all is the result of some pretty solid sifting by the FMS research team, and it would just be plain rude to ignore all that hard work. And secondly, it's not the case that we once thought these women were worth posting about and don't anymore - we still do. <br /><br />The solution we came up with is <b><i>The FMS January Clearance</i></b> - we're going to feature <b><i>all</i></b> the women who are taking up space in the "TBC" folder on the 2017 planner. And you're getting them all together in a sort of but not really alphabetical order (you'll see what I mean). Further your enjoyment by clicking on the names. <br /><br />Five beautiful bods a day for seven days. Have fun!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/strongerthanyourboyfriendd/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">L</span>AUREN RIFFEL</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6e5bc6727015443" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/44/e8/07/6e5bc6727015443.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ac8506727015493" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9c/38/9d/ac8506727015493.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><i>This year I will be fierce,</i> promised Lauren on January 2nd. <i>Because Strong Is Sexy.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f3b84c727015503" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fa/c3/5d/f3b84c727015503.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8f8d52727015553" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/1b/7a/54/8f8d52727015553.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />This 22-year-old Californian has only been sharing her "fitness journey" since October (clearly this journey began some time before that) but her grand total of 62 posts already she has attracted fan attention. Those arms, yes, but also for the attitude, the desire to "inspire our fitness ladies" through embodying the "Strong Is Sexy" mantra, but also to "be the chick in the gym who motivates every guy to push harder".<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5ab34c727015583" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a5/fe/38/5ab34c727015583.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/18195e727015653" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/6e/8e/6f/18195e727015653.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Her IG moniker - <i><a href="https://www.instagram.com/strongerthanyourboyfriendd/" target="_blank">strongerthanyourboyfriendd</a></i> (!)<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/melindalindmark/" target="_blank">MELINDA <span style="font-size: large;">L</span>INDMARK</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f2b788727016533" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b9/66/69/f2b788727016533.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />21-year-old Swedish Physique dream Melinda first came to Swell's attention back in the summer when she was coming to the attention of a good few others too. <i>A veritable goddess,</i> wrote one - clearly impressed - forum poster. <i>Look at that huge veiny bicep!</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/bb91ca727016563" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/96/b7/ab/bb91ca727016563.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And as Melinda leaned down to compete (for the first time?) at last year's Tyngre Classic, female muscle lovin' pulses were set racing, the temperature in the FMS office soared, and Swell had Melinda (showing off her delts, her back and beautiful bum) as his screensaver (for a while, you know how easily my head can get turned). <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a28d67727016593" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f5/5c/f5/a28d67727016593.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Inappropriate though it may be for a man of my advancing years to be so ga-ga for a woman so young, I <b><i>DO</i></b> like Melinda. A lot. And I would guess I'm only one of many who have fallen under her spell in the last six months or so. Now it's your turn.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kcxena8/" target="_blank">KIMBERLY <span style="font-size: large;">M</span>ERCER</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4445f8727016623" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5e/67/03/4445f8727016623.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />I have to admit that the first time I saw a <b>Kimberly Mercer</b> selfie it took me quite some time to realise I wasn't looking at <b>Brooke Walker</b>. Now I would hope Kimberly would take that as a compliment, which she should. This newly-carded pro seems, just as Brooke did in 2015, to be entering the next stage of her career already displaying the kind of quality necessary to succeed among the IFBB Physique elite. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b8e69b727017673" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/60/cb/a0/b8e69b727017673.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/cfa3bd727017683" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b0/69/7a/cfa3bd727017683.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Perhaps this is because she spent the best part of two years upgrading her body from Figure (where she did well enough to compete at national level) before entering her first Physique contest. At the IFBB North Americans last year she finished runner-up in her class, good enough to get the card, but also already looking every inch the pro.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/44e222727018693" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/94/26/d6/44e222727018693.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/fe4560727018753" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a6/67/0f/fe4560727018753.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a> <br /><br />She looks pretty damn good in or out of her her (Onslow County, North Carolina First Responder) work clothes too. Evidence since her contest suggests she'll be even bigger and better when she makes that pro debut - hopefully not in another two years. <br /><br /><b><i>SWOOOON!!!</i></b><br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/tjuggechubby/?hl=en" target="_blank">SUSANNE <span style="font-size: large;">N</span>AAMANI</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6240e6727015703" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/99/e5/3e/6240e6727015703.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/051f1e727015763" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/da/5a/7d/051f1e727015763.jpg" /></a> <br /><br /><i>Oh, she's new,</i> I say as the FMS work experience boy plops the <b>Susanne Naamani</b> file down on my desk. And then he tells me that she's been around since 2010. Ugh.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/80a44b727015793" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/74/ec/12/80a44b727015793.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ea8dfb727015853" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/0c/7a/5c/ea8dfb727015853.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />I console myself with the fact that I wasn't the only one who was taken by surprise. Susanne's popularity on the forums peaked around 2011-12, and has only recently enjoyed a resurgence. <i>Damn! She got big!</i> notes one forum bod who knew her earlier in the decade. <i>Damn! She is big!</i> says another on a different forum who didn't.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e76417727015893" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d4/2d/04/e76417727015893.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2a0dce727015973" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/98/55/a7/2a0dce727015973.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />As well as admiring how pleasingly big Susanne indeed is these days, I've also been catching up with her past via <a href="http://susannenaamani.blogspot.co.uk/" target="_blank">her blog - <i>SUZIE</i></a> - which she kept up for a couple of years. Although it does also contain stories of everyday disasters like getting locked out of her own house, it is pretty much the story of her "fitness journey". Having said that though, I doubt you'll ever read a more wildly entertaining one. She crayzee!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/sheikhanguyen/?hl=en" target="_blank">SHEIKHA <span style="font-size: large;">N</span>GUYEN</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9c3212727016663" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ec/00/68/9c3212727016663.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />New Nguyen on the block! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5f8fa4727015993" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/85/45/b6/5f8fa4727015993.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/7a8c7d727016033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/1b/09/1d/7a8c7d727016033.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />A fitness and lingerie model, (amateur) IFBB Physique competitor, and personal trainer, Sheikha is based in Singapore. She is, in her own words, "here to inspire". <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ef5a2f727016053" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/29/ee/9b/ef5a2f727016053.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/f1a9f6727016093" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9a/bb/91/f1a9f6727016093.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Now there's a rather famous picture of Sheikha having the spray tan applied (version 1 - <a href="https://www.girlswithmuscle.com/images/full/190824773.jpg" target="_blank">here</a>, version 2 - <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/195622632582473" target="_blank">here</a>) which I'm sure has inspired all sorts of reactions from the brethren... Meanwhile though, Sheikha posts equally impressive (if a lot less naughty) updates on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/sheikhanguyen/?hl=en" target="_blank">her IG</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/FitnessSheikha/" target="_blank">Facebook</a> on a somewhat irregular basis, and fans can also contact her <a href="https://www.herbicepscam.com/asian_iron/profile/" target="_blank">on HerBicepsCams, where she's Asian Iron</a>. A lot of them do, I'm told.<br /><br /><br />Five more muscle women for your viewing delight tomorrow!6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-53834204955862116492018-01-24T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-24T01:00:07.121-08:00January Clearance! [I-K]"Too many to feature here" is a phrase I seem to have typed a lot over the past year, referring to the vast number of women and/or images the female muscle head is faced with in these instant information times. On the upside, you never go short. The downside for the blogger is there are far too many to feature here - there I go again.<br /><br />It felt wrong just to forget about the women we intended to feature at some stage during 2017 but didn't. Firstly, the fact they have come to our attention at all is the result of some pretty solid sifting by the FMS research team, and it would just be plain rude to ignore all that hard work. And secondly, it's not the case that we once thought these women were worth posting about and don't anymore - we still do. <br /><br />The solution we came up with is <b><i>The FMS January Clearance</i></b> - we're going to feature <b><i>all</i></b> the women who are taking up space in the "TBC" folder on the 2017 planner. And you're getting them all together in a sort of but not really alphabetical order (you'll see what I mean). Further your enjoyment by clicking on the names. <br /><br />Five beautiful bods a day for seven days. Have fun!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ipek.bodyfitness/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>PEK ALTUN</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/aa4208726271603" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/37/ba/9a/aa4208726271603.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/fdcb69726271613" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/3a/47/5b/fdcb69726271613.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />She might be much less famous than some of her countrywomen, but Turkey's #1 Bodyfitness competitor is the most successful of all of them, and has earned everything she gets. She did (at least, I mean these are just the ones we know about) 5 international contests in 2017 - her best results (again, this is what we know, which may not be all) were silver medals at the Diamond Cup in Rome and the Olympia Amateur in Spain - and finished 3rd in the 2017 IFBB Bodyfitness rankings. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b53b1a726272363" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/97/e6/5d/b53b1a726272363.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />A striking beauty, Ipek seems to be a hard trainer - those pec veins don't just appear, do they? - and she also seems to know what she's doing with other kinds of meat. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/716eff726273063" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/cf/a5/f5/716eff726273063.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/acb894726273153" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/48/3c/25/acb894726273153.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />What's not to like?! <br /><br />Not to be confused with another Ipek with muscles, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ipekyldrm/?hl=en" target="_blank">WBFF Fitness Pro <b>Ipek Yildirim</b></a>.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ivana_dvorak/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span>VANA DVORAKOVA</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9594ee726272403" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/81/e4/d2/9594ee726272403.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Some ladies' social media is, for all the pictures of their beautiful bodies, a bit samey, a bit bland. Not so <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ivana_dvorak/?hl=en" target="_blank">Ivana Dvorakova</a></b>'s. Caption for the above - "This flat won't clean itself!" <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ivana_dvorak/?hl=en" target="_blank">Check her out</a> - you might well end up, like me, thinking this Czech domestic goddess is, on top of the beautiful body, probably quite a lot of fun to hang out with.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5bf35d726273193" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5b/cc/7d/5bf35d726273193.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c8470f726273213" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/00/0a/0c/c8470f726273213.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />31-year-old Ivana did, until 2017, compete in Bodyfitness, but last year she refused not to grow and (like so many women currently) switched to the Physique division. A 3rd place at the late season Diamond Cup in Milan was her reward. And pizza, obvs.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/45cd5c726272453" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/95/34/60/45cd5c726272453.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Reminds me of <b><a href="https://www.girlswithmuscle.com/images/full/300003555.jpg" target="_blank">Jackie Hague</a></b> a bit - which is certainly not a bad thing!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jennifer.ullmer/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">J</span>ENNIFER ULLMER</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/200107726271643" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/12/fd/e4/200107726271643.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e5fc17726271673" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fd/b7/d7/e5fc17726271673.jpg" /></a><br /><br />From Germany, Jennifer has been one of the top Junior Bodyfitness competitors in Europe over the last couple of years, and she also won at senior level for the first time in 2017 - becoming national champion. But it's not been for her contest results but for her other (obvious) charms that she's come to the attention of the fan forums.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8a0c1b726272473" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e3/80/c2/8a0c1b726272473.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />The collective we especially like her pecs. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1c68c4726272503" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5c/7c/2e/1c68c4726272503.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><i>Give her a leading role in a new primetime series!</i> demands one excitable Ullmerette. <i>She is awesome - beautiful, confident, and carries her muscle so naturally. Exactly what a leading lady should look like.</i> And she probably wouldn't have too much trouble fending off the unwanted advances of horny producers either - exactly the kind of skill leading ladies have been sadly lacking over the years, more's the pity. <br /><br /><br /><b>OLESYA GOMBERGER <span style="font-size: large;">K</span>ACHUR</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/33cd17726272523" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2d/04/48/33cd17726272523.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />A Russian FBB who styles herself as "She Hulk" and <b><i>isn't</i></b> <b>Natalya Trukhina</b> or <b>Kuznetsova</b>? Guess we can safely assume Olesya isn't easily intimidated. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/374b95726273243" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/56/1e/48/374b95726273243.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3e4b8e726273283" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c1/85/3b/3e4b8e726273283.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Maybe she thinks she's safe down in her so-south-it-is-almost-Georgia base. Maybe she's already done a deal with Natalya - "You be "She-Beast", I'll be "She-Hulk".<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/10bddd726272563" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/7b/73/05/10bddd726272563.jpg" height="210" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And you can probably guess from this nonsense that I don't know much info about Olesya, but I know what I like, and that beautiful body covered only in tape is it. <br /><br />Not to be confused with <b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/alessykochura/?hl=en" target="_blank">Alessy Kochura</a></b>, Russian Bodyfitness phenom, who, let's face it, was a mere typo away from actually being one of your five-a-day today.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/kristen_nun/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">K</span>RISTEN NUN</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0dacd3726272583" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/42/62/7a/0dacd3726272583.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><i>Not that I'm complaining - what a bull! - but does anyone have any photos of her that are not taken in the gym with Kristen wearing her baseball cap backwards?</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a630e7726272613" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a6/59/46/a630e7726272613.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />No, as was pointed out to the forum poster, they don't. And nor do they know much about Kristen either, other than that that gym's in Kansas, and that she usually wears vests that are black. Some diligent research by the FMS team has, however, shown that she also owns others that are purple, grey, white, and even pink! But such mystery hasn't stopped (perhaps it's actually encouraged) the fascination the female muscle lovin' brethren have quickly developed for this undeniable meat feast for the eyes.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4eff35726272643" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/68/07/44/4eff35726272643.jpg" height="267" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Only other thing we can tell you is she likes to do a bit of shooting, often with (what to my "no-guns-please-we're-British" eyes looks like) pretty specialised weaponry. Perhaps she's not giving much away because she can't... Or she'd have to kill us. <br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-52458463009921943822018-01-23T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-24T14:33:07.484-08:00January Clearance! [E-H]"Too many to feature here" is a phrase I seem to have typed a lot over the past year, referring to the vast number of women and/or images the female muscle head is faced with in these instant information times. On the upside, you never go short. The downside for the blogger is there are far too many to feature here - there I go again.<br /><br />It felt wrong just to forget about the women we intended to feature at some stage during 2017 but didn't. Firstly, the fact they have come to our attention at all is the result of some pretty solid sifting by the FMS research team, and it would just be plain rude to ignore all that hard work. And secondly, it's not the case that we once thought these women were worth posting about and don't anymore - we still do. <br /><br />The solution we came up with is <b><i>The FMS January Clearance</i></b> - we're going to feature <b><i>all</i></b> the women who are taking up space in the "TBC" folder on the 2017 planner. And you're getting them all together in a sort of but not really alphabetical order (you'll see what I mean). Further your enjoyment by clicking on the names. <br /><br />Five beautiful bods a day for seven days. Have fun!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/eleni_christina_wbffpro/" target="_blank">CHRISTINA <span style="font-size: large;">E</span>LENI</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b76807722256913" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/4c/0d/f3/b76807722256913.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/877c36722257023" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/77/c5/cb/877c36722257023.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />We don't often dip our nosy beaks into the (admittedly) glamorous WBFF, so when we do feature a lady from that world, she's usually come to our attention because she's caused something of a stir on the fan forums. Christina is no an exception to that rule.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/16ea2c722257813" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/03/b6/05/16ea2c722257813.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Beautiful, Australian, and a WBFF Fitness Pro. The next <b>Rach White</b>? <br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/fiskova_svetlana_ifbb/" target="_blank">SVETLANA <span style="font-size: large;">F</span>ISKOVA</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d5ba99722254003" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b9/00/26/d5ba99722254003.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/92e690722254033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d5/09/3f/92e690722254033.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Not <b><i>all</i></b> bad news for Russian sport in 2017 - at the IFBB World Championships in Biarritz in December, both Physique classes were won by a Russian women, as were 3 of the 4 Bodyfitness classes. And in the latter division, it was the (Russian) up to 163cm class winner <b>Svetlana Fiskova</b> who was crowned Overall World Champion. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/74ea99722257843" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/34/f3/34/74ea99722257843.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Not hard on the eye, is she?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/66f607722257863" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/15/25/a3/66f607722257863.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Svetlana was also the Overall champ at the Arnold Amateur in 2016, and, surprisingly (because she <b><i>really</i></b> doesn't look it to me) is 35. As well as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/fiskova_svetlana_ifbb/" target="_blank">her Instagram</a>, she post (often stunning) pics (and words of wisdom) on <a href="https://vk.com/fiskovasvetlana" target="_blank">her VK page</a> on an almost daily basis.<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/brittany_flexifbbpro/" target="_blank">BRITTANY "<span style="font-size: large;">F</span>LEX" WATTS</a></b> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/324297722257893" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/35/38/29/324297722257893.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />A little more contest action, but this time from an IFBB Physique pro. Brittany won her pro card at the Jr USAs in 2016, and made her pro debut last May at the IFBB Orlando Europa, where she finished 6th in a line-up packed with more experienced women.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/aa321a722254073" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f0/d3/57/aa321a722254073.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/029f5f722254123" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a8/98/16/029f5f722254123.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Check out <a href="https://vimeo.com/226601662" target="_blank">the trailer for a documentary short following Brittany's prep for that show (and much more I imagine) on Vimeo</a>. Haven't found anywhere where it's available in its entirety without a sign up involving divulging credit card details, so keep your eye out for when it does turn up. Looks like it might give some truly fascinating insights. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e8b90c722257923" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b8/93/9b/e8b90c722257923.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Wonder why they call her "Flex"... <br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/flexxabellaa/?hl=en" target="_blank">MICHELLE <span style="font-size: large;">G</span>AVIN</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/97eed5722257943" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/39/13/ad/97eed5722257943.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />She's competed just twice - at the same New England show in 2016 and 2017 - but she's already got 25,000+ Instagram followers, and a legion of female muscle lovin' fans drooling over her girl-next-door looks and the "unique" shape of those bicep peaks.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/65fc4b722251603" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/69/9d/fa/65fc4b722251603.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0ff2f5722251653" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/cc/7a/70/0ff2f5722251653.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />She says she's a 4'11" ball of muscle. And I believe her.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3c98fd722257963" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/74/ce/60/3c98fd722257963.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />2018's <b>Paige Sandgren</b>? You heard it here first!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/j.physique/?hl=en" target="_blank">JULIA <span style="font-size: large;">H</span>UNTER</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/adfc78722251693" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/3a/97/06/adfc78722251693.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/431549722251723" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/97/1d/e9/431549722251723.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />And on the West coast of the USA, 8 inches taller, but with even less contest Physique experience, California's <b>Julia Hunter</b> - although she's already done "major site" photoshoots - is probably the most recent collective "find" we'll feature this week.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/753ec0722257983" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/98/39/c2/753ec0722257983.jpg" height="299" width="400" /></a><br /><br />She won her debut contest - the NPC Tournament of Champions (a somewhat misleading name, given the standard) - but it's not for <a href="http://contests.npcnewsonline.com/contests/2017/npc_tournament_of_champions/julia_hunter/" target="_blank">her contest shots</a> that the collective has sat up and taken notice but her penchant for making (sometimes very) short but nonetheless attention-grabbing clips of her fine budding Physique bod. <br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/QukVe4ff7BA" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Maybe 2018's <b>Paige Sandgren</b>?!<br /><br /><br />Five more beauties tomorrow.<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-46844357420034647062018-01-22T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-24T14:33:33.972-08:00January Clearance! [A-D]"Too many to feature here" is a phrase I seem to have typed a lot over the past year, referring to the vast number of women and/or images the female muscle head is faced with in these instant information times. On the upside, you never go short. The downside for the blogger is there are far too many to feature here - there I go again.<br /><br />It felt wrong just to forget about the women we intended to feature at some stage during 2017 but didn't. Firstly, the fact they have come to our attention at all is the result of some pretty solid sifting by the FMS research team, and it would just be plain rude to ignore all that hard work. And secondly, it's not the case that we once thought these women were worth posting about and don't anymore - we still do. <br /><br />The solution we came up with is <b><i>The FMS January Clearance</i></b> - we're going to feature <b><i>all</i></b> the women who are taking up space in the "TBC" folder on the 2017 planner. And you're getting them all together in a sort of but not really alphabetical order (you'll see what I mean). Further your enjoyment by clicking on the names. <br /><br />Five beautiful bods a day for seven days. Have fun!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ankhjii_pro_yeo/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">A</span>NGELA YEO</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d92d28721036943" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ea/75/1c/d92d28721036943.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Angela may be familiar because she got a fair bit of attention on the forums last year after switching from a natural federation to the NPC. She debuted at the Kentucky Muscle show and outclassed a (surprisingly large) field to take the Overall title. She also produced an IG clip dubbed the "Sexiest Ab Flex in the World". Want to see it?<br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/30Va5C-9hpk" width="560"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/blakelee.ortega/?hl=en" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">B</span>LAKELEE ORTEGA</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/760a35721040513" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b0/18/44/760a35721040513.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><i>No f***ing way!</i> is what we everyone says the first time we see beautiful Blakelee's behemoth (allegedly 16") biceps, but unless this "aspiring physique competitor" from Alabama is doctoring every single one of her IG photos, they're real enough. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/253995721036983" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/50/da/2b/253995721036983.jpg" height="397" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><i>"You look like a man." "You’re getting too big." "Gross." These are all comments I’ve heard,</i> says Blakelee, <i>and will probably continue to hear. But I never have and never will let comments like this get me down or make me reconsider my passion for bodybuilding. They only let me know I’m right where I need to be!</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5bd15f721040033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/53/ba/42/5bd15f721040033.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Nice. She'd be properly scary if she wasn't so damn cute. <br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/miss.c.hristina/" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: large;">C</span>HRISTINA ALEV</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/379364721041003" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8d/ef/dd/379364721041003.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Christina is a prime example of a woman we really wanted to post, but whose bio we couldn't quite get down, and her past remains murky to us still. She'll be back on the blog at some stage, but for now we'll share the little we do know about this beauty. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4dcf04721037013" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/7c/ab/32/4dcf04721037013.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />She's originally from Estonia, but now calls Britain home (see? She's got the T-shirt to prove it) and has ruled Masters Bodyfitness in the North-east for the last couple of years, winning back-to-back UKBFF titles. She was 5th in her category at the British Championships in 2016, but (we <i><b>think</b></i> she competed) didn't make the top 6 last year. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b2dd2f721037943" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/3d/57/7c/b2dd2f721037943.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/27dc24721037973" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/da/2b/20/27dc24721037973.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a> <br /><br />Forum heads like the veins on her arms. A lot. And it seems some people - "afonsoqf", for example - like her abs a lot too. <i>Seriously, I could be a millionaire,</i> says Christina.<br /><br /><br /><b>KATIE <span style="font-size: large;">D</span>AVIES</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c8c9c2721037433" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ab/99/f5/c8c9c2721037433.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Don't be fooled by the young <b>Colette Nelson</b> looks (or just me?) or the exotic (Mexican, it turns out) location, "jungle gym" personal trainer Katie is one of ours too.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/7a86dd721037473" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d6/36/7e/7a86dd721037473.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />To say that these beach workout pics caused a bit of a sensation on the forums when they went up would be an understatement. I would not be at all surprised if business at the Tulum resort where Katie plies her trade suddenly got noticeably brisker than normal on or around December 10th as heads booked up their 2018 summer hols. <br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Ml16MlTJU7Q" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Bed, board and a daily session with Ms Davies? Yes f***ing please!<br /><br /><br /><b><a href="https://www.instagram.com/faithandfit/?hl=en" target="_blank">LACEY <span style="font-size: large;">D</span>UNN</a></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d18538721037503" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/92/be/d4/d18538721037503.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />She hasn't competed since 2016, but Lacey likes a flex, so despite being "only" a Bikini competitor, she's well worth a mention even before you consider she is a past "Best Abs in Expo" winner at the Arnolds, a Bodybuilding.com talent search winner, and she's got her own podcast. Nearly 350,000 IG followers too. And all this while working through college. We hope she'll be back on stage breaking those Bikini rules again in 2017.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e21bcd721037533" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/03/20/7e/e21bcd721037533.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Five more of 2017's left unposted tomorrow.6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-39676968160937660552018-01-21T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-21T01:00:39.643-08:00An Exhibition"Confidence" is what the collective we usually call it. <br /><br /><i>I <b>LOVE</b> their <b>CONFIDENCE</b>!</i> - or something similar - we gush.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1d121b720269453" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2d/dc/a1/1d121b720269453.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Meet Carrie.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/cb1ab7720269463" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/92/29/98/cb1ab7720269463.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Born in New Zealand, Carrie has called New York home for the last 17 years. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4f60f0720269473" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/6d/c7/23/4f60f0720269473.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />She's one half of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brooklynsbonnieandclyde/" target="_blank">"brooklynsbonnieandclyde" on Instagram</a>. She is (obviously) the Bonnie, and her (are you jealous?) Clyde is cameraman boyfriend Christian. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/532ec3720269603" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5b/76/61/532ec3720269603.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1625fa720269633" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/29/41/f7/1625fa720269633.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />And when she isn't doing a 12-hour shift saving lives as an intensive care nurse, she's "working out and enjoying life", and a big part of the latter seems to be showing off her sexy muscular body at every possible opportunity. All over Brooklyn and beyond.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2c2065720269493" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/6d/d7/7b/2c2065720269493.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Here she is in London with big guns.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/bd541b720269513" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8d/1b/55/bd541b720269513.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Here she is in Florence.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b1086c720269523" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/19/04/de/b1086c720269523.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And here she is in Paris.<br /><br />Not lacking the "confidence" we love so much, I would guess. <br /><br />In fact, I'd say she is a bit beyond that even.<br /><br />A full-blown Muscle Exhibitionist. And I <b><i>LOVE</i></b> it!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b7ceed720269533" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/a8/26/20/b7ceed720269533.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />The best thing about summer is, she says, that she can walk around in "no sleeves and short shorts", giving everyone an eyeful (OK, that last bit I added, but I think it's a fair assumption) - with her arms covered up there'll be no more opportunities for "the old... 'check my nails' flex" while she waits at the till, for example. A show off supreme! <br /><br />Earlier in the week when drooling over the delicious <b>Diana Schnaidt</b>, I said there were two reasons why I was ever so slightly jealous the bro-in-law had been seconded to NYC. Well, here's the second reason. I mean, he could be that commuter!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/508924720269543" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8a/a2/d7/508924720269543.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And the worst thing is - if that did happen to him - neck snapping round, Madness taking hold, dry-mouthed, heart racing, agog at the vision of muscle sexiness right there next to him and about to board the same train... he would probably never tell me about this intense experience he'd had, how he'd ridden the subway way past his stop, bag cunningly-placed on his lap, lost in female muscle chance encounter heaven. <br /><br />I might read about it on the forums though.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e5a3d8720269553" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/39/cc/a7/e5a3d8720269553.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><i>Non lifters experience their first Flex Friday...</i> says Carrie.<br /><br />Might be reading about this one soon too.<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-86519056136632180112018-01-20T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-20T01:00:38.045-08:00Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner...That I love pictures of muscle women in London town...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2db453714916413" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/1e/1e/ee/2db453714916413.jpg" alt="imagebam.com"></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a2021d714916473" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b8/04/46/a2021d714916473.jpg" alt="imagebam.com"></a> <br /><br />Korea's <b>Chu Mi Kim</b> brought her WBFF Pro physique all the way to the London sunshine last summer. <i>You still have those red telephone phone boxes in England?</i> forum posters wondered. Well, yes, we do, but these days you can only find them where the tourists go. Sadly, arms and legs like Chu Mi's are also a rare sight as well.<br /><br />Cindy, I believe, is a regular visitor, London being one of the stops for her global training business, and she regularly asks for tips on places to eat, or things to do there on her social media. So far she hasn't taken up my offer of hospitality. I'll keep trying.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1cb616714911523" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/49/6d/f6/1cb616714911523.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/92171c714911573" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/25/b1/2b/92171c714911573.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />You won't find Crossfit Aldgate in most guidebooks, so major kudos to <b>Hanah Jamroz</b> for getting off the beaten track. I could well have been round the corner in Brick Lane enjoying a chicken pasanda while she was getting all sweaty there. <br /><br />Sigh.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b0f7fd714916523" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/85/1c/ce/b0f7fd714916523.jpg" alt="imagebam.com"></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/65c5a0714916563" target="_blank"><img src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5b/5f/e9/65c5a0714916563.jpg" alt="imagebam.com"></a><br /><br />And here's Larissa and <b><i>another</i></b> ye olde red telephone box, plus Larissa, Big Ben, and a fella (blue shirt, not remotely looking where he's going) who may well be one of us. This is probably not the first time he's walked that bit of Westminster Bridge in the last few minutes, and as long as Larissa's body is on display there, who can blame him?<br /><br /><b>SHAWNA ON TOUR</b><br /><br /><i>At least it's not raining.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e04ee1714912633" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/0b/ec/5d/e04ee1714912633.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Shawna was less than impressed with the British summer...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/efbe31714912783" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/46/32/05/efbe31714912783.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />But luckily, London wasn't the only stop on her Eurotrip last year. She also took in Florence (one morning bright and early on a bike), and - with "dear friend" <b>Rene Campbell</b> - had a weekend in Amsterdam. Quite the traveller she is, listing "countries I feel blessed to have seen and experienced" on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shawna.strong.92" target="_blank">her Facebook page</a>. So far, as well as the UK, Italy and Holland, Shawna has been to: Ireland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Serbia, Greece, Turkey, Canada, and Mexico.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2f0286714912823" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/97/e8/b6/2f0286714912823.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Surely one of you lovely readers must have seen her <i><b>somewhere?</b></i><br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-50800722491828461502018-01-19T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-19T01:00:14.063-08:00Kristen Graham Chops, Slices, Shoots & Scores<b><span style="font-size: large;">CHOP</span></b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/25ee0f714192713" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/af/2a/5f/25ee0f714192713.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />I don't for a moment think Kristen spends her days felling trees, but it's exciting to imagine running into her in her Daisy Dukes+ when I go down to the woods today.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ab34f0714192753" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/49/9c/84/ab34f0714192753.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Add your own 'She can handle my chopper...' joke. I'm so above it.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">SLICE</span></b> <br /><br /><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cs7KWcGpINg" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Ooops!<br /><br />And that probably goes for just about every other golfer on the range that day. One eye on Kristen, the other eye on Kristen - not a recipe for a well-drilled long iron, is it?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/cbac60714192793" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/81/32/56/cbac60714192793.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Drivin-me-crazy Golf?<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">SHOOT</span></b> <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/7f8c28714192833" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/87/65/d7/7f8c28714192833.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />What we call football has never looked so good.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ef017a714192853" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/60/ae/84/ef017a714192853.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />I might be persuaded to brush the mud off my boots and get back in the game.<br /><br />Add your own 'She can play with my balls...' etc.<br /><br /><b><span style="font-size: large;">SCORE</span></b><br /><br /><b><i>EXACTLY</i></b> how a muscle goddess should dress <b><i>AT ALL TIMES</i></b>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ee2cb3714192873" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/54/83/a4/ee2cb3714192873.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Especially in winter. And if the lack of foliage on the trees and the way those pointers are, er, pointing are anything to go by, winter it is indeed. And not a mild one either.<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-11152455457233886542018-01-18T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-18T01:00:29.035-08:00Diana in New York<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ec04f6714169703" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/35/05/52/ec04f6714169703.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />My bro-in-law is about to start a secondment in the Big Apple. One of two main reasons why I am ever so slightly jealous is the increased chance this provides him of running into (perhaps literally, he does actually run) the divine <b>Diana Schnaidt</b>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e01b6f714169753" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/37/b6/de/e01b6f714169753.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Glorious whether glammed up or showing of her sexy, hard and veiny body in more functional attire, here she is in and under New York during the last year or so.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1b7d0f714170013" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/88/e7/19/1b7d0f714170013.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8d04f7714170073" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/cb/1d/1c/8d04f7714170073.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Bulging calves, and ballistic shoulders and biceps all looking especially yummy.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/85d6aa714169783" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/41/45/53/85d6aa714169783.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/ifbbdianaschnaidt/?hl=en" target="_blank">Diana on Instagram.</a><br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-70657961660299837342018-01-17T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-17T01:00:15.291-08:00I Just Popped Out For...... an eyeful of muscular womanhood at the supermarket(?!)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/277cea713249853" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9d/5f/49/277cea713249853.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Well, at least the Heavyweight-below-the-waist version purveyed by <b>Mia Sand</b>.<br /><br />The forums abound with stories of heads coming across big, strong, beautiful women at retail outlets. I seem to recall rather a lot of them take place at DIY (hardware) stores - "she was waiting in line at the checkout, casually holding an entire flat-packed office suite under one mighty arm". Encounters at chemists (drugstores) seem to be common too, which I suppose makes sense - they must take some legal drugs! One tale on the forum whose first rule is... ends up with the lady marrying the (charming, witty, not at all Madness-stricken) head she met one night in the queue for prescriptions.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/cf6439713249893" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fe/97/cc/cf6439713249893.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />But if the images FMS has managed to source for this post are anything to go by, your local equivalent of Tesco, Morrisons or the Co-op is where it's at. And surprisingly, you don't have to confine your search to the meat and veg aisles either. The lady might well be shopping for a cheat/treat on the evidence we have. Chocolate?! Wine?! Cake?! Maybe it's only worth a photo on such rare occasions - the weekly loading of enough chicken breast, broccoli and eggs to feed the five thousand into the trolley ain't.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3a37ef713250303" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ef/cc/76/3a37ef713250303.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/7304ec713250343" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/02/33/cb/7304ec713250343.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Dare you ask for a flex? <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ab8ca9713250373" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9f/0d/e0/ab8ca9713250373.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2425f2713250393" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/02/6d/d9/2425f2713250393.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Neither <b>Michelle Vjacobo</b> (left), nor <b>Ria Ward</b> look like they are backward in coming forward to show it off. For one thing those are outfits guaranteed to draw attention in a supermarket-based environment (or indeed any environment), they haven't come all hooded and covered to quickly shop and go, have they?<br /><br />Dare you ask for a cheeky abs flash?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/87fb6d713249913" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2c/5e/10/87fb6d713249913.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />From my own experience, the only prerequisite for The Madness to descend is that I see a lady with <b><i>ANY</i></b> amount of muscle - they needn't be a full-grown FBB (I'd probably spontaneously combust if this ever happened). So <b>Susanne Kleven</b> (above) or <b>Jessica Morgan Canty</b>'s ripped abs exhibitionism would be more than enough.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3612e2713249943" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/62/d9/a1/3612e2713249943.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />I couldn't even begin to imagine how I'd react in this scenario...<br /><br /><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JxnrcY0o9Qk" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />I find it hard to understand why there isn't a line of dudes, tongues hanging out, tentpoles at full mast, shuffling behind her, following her everywhere she goes?<br /><br />Seriously though, happy hunting but don't go all stalky.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5bb66d713249973" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5c/a8/23/5bb66d713249973.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />However hard it may be.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e83430713250013" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9a/0d/36/e83430713250013.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Enjoy!<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-75051561053688369172018-01-16T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-16T01:00:47.987-08:00Paris au printemps avec Joanna Jean<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c89c84712118083" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/79/28/72/c89c84712118083.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/902568712118153" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ad/02/1e/902568712118153.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />So, your travelling companion wants to know why exactly you have to keep going back to the same place day after day. Surely there's more to Paris than the Eiffel Tower?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/bad483712118173" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/96/85/d5/bad483712118173.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/40fd4c712118243" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8f/ec/1d/40fd4c712118243.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Whoever is in charge of such things really should look into recruiting this sizzling Haitian/Canadian Figure phenom and new IFBB pro to do some <i>publicité</i> for them. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6f186e712118293" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/04/9e/d0/6f186e712118293.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/5f8b15712118353" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/37/b2/c4/5f8b15712118353.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Maybe they already have!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/af7458712119163" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/56/6d/07/af7458712119163.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><a href="https://www.instagram.com/jobellafit509/" target="_blank"><b>Joanna Jean</b> is on Instagram</a> (always, not just when she's <i>à Paris</i>).<br /><br />Enjoy!<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-69834561917464711452018-01-15T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-15T01:00:30.022-08:00The Chance EncounterOK, you've got 25 seconds to decide what to do and/or say.<br /><br />Ready?<br /><br />Go!<br /><br /><iframe allow="encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" gesture="media" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/AcGsRKsIRhU" width="560"></iframe><br /><br />Come up with any <i>bon mots</i>? <br /><br />No, me neither. <br /><br />And <b>Lola Montez</b> was very much in slow motion right there. Real time would have given you even less chance. And let's face it, you were hardly under pressure, were you? I mean, Lola's not <b><i>REALLY</i></b> sashaying down the street towards you, is she? What would you do then? What, if you were indeed capable of speech at all, would you say?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8f7bee712107033" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/cc/fb/fa/8f7bee712107033.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1bbd25712107043" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d3/60/38/1bbd25712107043.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />I console myself with the knowledge I am not alone.<br /><br /><i>Pics and vids is one thing, </i> says one fellow head. <i>Seeing them right in front of you is entirely another. Sightings in the gym are most common, and while they are always awesome occasions, they are definitely the least exhilarating. Nothing compares to a chance encounter in public.</i> Exhilarating in the extreme. <i>Muscle ladies get my heart pumping for sure,</i> confides another. <i>My breath gets short and I cannot take my eyes off of them. The desire is simply overwhelming.</i> Ah yes! The Madness. <i>On the extremely rare occasions that I actually see a true female bodybuilder (even at the figure level) in public, it's like my body goes into red alert and I'm stuck on that moment for at least the next couple days. It's like seeing a unicorn.</i> Well put, sir!<br /><br />Unless you live in Miami or some such and it's an every day kind of thing.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/66b313712107203" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/2c/90/8c/66b313712107203.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Or maybe not.<br /><br /><i>A muscle woman is something I can't prep for. It's one thing seeing hundreds of gorgeous legs, chests, glutes onscreen. I could see the same woman through hundreds of different pictures, or a dozen videos. Nothing ever readies you for when you see her in the flesh. It's the difference between watching a video of a rollercoaster, and physically <b>RIDING</b> one. For me, just seeing one is like an epiphany, and all attempts at maintaining my gentlemanly dignity dissolve to mush as my mouth hangs open, my eyes bulge wide, my breathing gets laboured.</i><br /><br />Perhaps we'd be better having our chance encounter elsewhere.<br /><br />Public transport, perhaps?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2bea61712107223" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/28/98/0f/2bea61712107223.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a><br /><br />I mean, at least the book might give us a conversation starter, and for the time being Tina's not going anywhere, so you don't have to worry about thinking <b><i>that</i></b> fast. <br /><br />Although I'm curious how you'd start a conversation while the object of your desire (that's <b>Melissa Wee</b> on the left, by the way) is using said transport as a mobile gym...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b0b4d7712107443" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/89/31/5d/b0b4d7712107443.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a874f8712107463" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/84/9e/2b/a874f8712107463.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />All those muscles in constant motion...<br /><br />Or indeed if (like "Elana", right) she is in a female-only section of the tube!<br /><br /><i>When I see a very muscular woman, which is very rare, I lose control. I'm so attracted to the bulk, shapes, veins, and muscle that my heart races. I often, if on foot, will change direction just to see if what I'm seeing is actually what I'm seeing.</i><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ae0711712107483" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/6d/65/cb/ae0711712107483.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1d6abf712107493" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/5b/77/7a/1d6abf712107493.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Clocking those legs on the tube only to find out they belong to the new girl in HR. <br /><br />Cue not-so-chance encounters on a daily (sometimes thrice-daily) basis...<br /><br />The ultimate ecstasy, or the ultimate torture?!<br /><br /><i>Kicking off 2018 properly with a week of <b>Muscle in Public</b> on FMS.</i> <br /><br /><i>Any stories? Comment below or send to 6ft1swell@gmail.com</i><br /><br />Enjoy!<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-40216966562184106802018-01-08T01:00:00.000-08:002018-01-08T03:04:46.700-08:002018: Female Muscle's Greatest Year?<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/9e433a707046323" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e4/54/c3/9e433a707046323.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Do not adjust your set or whatever they say now. This blogger is looking forward to 2018. Yes, I too have read <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-42173236" target="_blank">the research that suggests the vast majority of prehistoric women had "stronger arms than today's elite female rowers"</a>, but let's face it, they didn't spend their weekends standing on plinths in fur posing suits while male members of their tribe passed judgement on them. My reasons for optimism are several, but what it all boils down to is a greater amount of female muscle on the planet than ever before. Well, at least since women stopped having to grind grain for up to five hours a day.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/fdc44f707046333" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/93/27/61/fdc44f707046333.jpg" height="240" width="400" /></a> <br /><br /><b>GYMS</b><br /><br />Granted, this may not be the case everywhere, but here in the UK there are unprecedented numbers of women at the gym. And we're not talking about those who take out membership in January and have stopped turning up by February, we're talking about women who work out regularly over a period of time. These <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/businessclub/sales/11388006/Ready-Protein-princesses-drive-up-sales-of-whey-shakes.html" target="_blank">so-called "Protein Princesses"</a> are one driving force in <a href="http://www.sportsthinktank.com/uploads/ukactive---the-rise-of-the-activity-sector.pdf" target="_blank">a boom in the UK fitness industry that (according to the most recent research available) shows no signs of slowing down yet</a>. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d56223707046343" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/9d/18/37/d56223707046343.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />You can now buy protein shakes in all big supermarkets and even Poundland - just one (shocking!) example of just how mainstream working out has become for both women <i><b>and</b></i> men. So there is an ever increasing chance that your significant other either works out regularly or (if she doesn't do some other kind of physical activity) is thinking more and more about doing so. And if she does, you should get on it too my friend, or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/dec/13/polish-up-your-pecs-women-prefer-strong-men-say-scientists" target="_blank">she may be thinking about trading you in for a guy she met at the gym...</a><br /><br /><b>THE MEDIA</b><br /><br />2018 will be the FMS' seventh year, and throughout that time we have paid especially close attention to female muscle-related stories in the mainstream (English-speaking) media. Every year there have been more and more stories, and every year the slant seems more and more positive. There are women conquering eating disorders, overcoming their bullying victim past, sculpting a far better body than they ever had before they became a mother... There are women with successful careers who also compete, women with successful competitive careers (pretty much exclusively at amateur level) gaining recognition in their regional media. There are Instagram's most followed "fitspirations", there are celebrities showing off their six-packs. And there are even stories about some of the freakiest beasts of all, like <b>Natalia Trukhina</b>. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/2a44f7707046363" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/8e/91/59/2a44f7707046363.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />In December 2017 alone, we had <a href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/664048/Bodybuilder-powerlifter-benchpress-champion-Nataliya-Kuznetsova-ripped-video" target="_blank">quite a bit of Natalia</a>, we had <a href="https://www.dailystar.co.uk/diet-fitness/663743/Sexy-twins-Barbie-female-bodybuilding-fitness-how-to-build-muscle" target="_blank">Polish "Fitness Barbie Twins"</a> with their "bubble butts and sexy toned abs", and we had <a href="http://metro.co.uk/2017/12/16/strictlys-gemma-atkinson-hits-back-haters-said-muscular-dance-7164334/" target="_blank">UK celeb <b>Gemma Atkinson</b> having a go at those who said she was "too muscular to dance"</a>. We also had plenty of regional stuff - in Cumbria, <a href="https://www.cumbriacrack.com/2017/12/08/champion-bodybuilder-strengthens-team-bristol-street-motors-carlisle-vauxhall/" target="_blank">champion bodybuilder&nbsp;<b>Tyler Jack</b> was celebrated for her new job</a> in car sales, and in Chester, there was <a href="https://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk/news/chester-cheshire-news/meet-ellesmere-ports-body-building-14012061" target="_blank">the "Bodybuilding Beauty Queen Mum"</a>. More serious stuff too. <i><a href="http://metro.co.uk/2017/12/21/can-please-stop-criticising-older-women-working-much-7176209/" target="_blank">Can We Please Stop Criticising Older Women for Working Out Too Much?</a></i> was the headline in the Metro on the Thursday before Christmas, and in the BBC's celebration of <i><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/c779dqxlxv2t/100-women" target="_blank">100 Women</a></i>, <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-42230555" target="_blank">the Thai woman "fighting stigma to become a bodybuilder"</a> was none other than <b>Penpraghai Tiangngok</b>. <br /><br /><b>SOCIAL MEDIA</b><br /><br />Much of this media interest derives from social media itself. Stories fall into newsrooms pretty much ready made (as we have seen <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2016/12/fbbuk-ayme-de-oliveira-goes-global.html" target="_blank">previously on FMS</a>), mainly it seems via Instagram (and not Facebook or Twitter for some reason) - noted above, the Polish "Fitness Barbie Twins" from December in the <i>Daily Star</i> is another classic example. Even when the story isn't about muscles <i>per se</i>, a great body shown off on social media works. Last year we saw how the anti-government protests in Venezuela suddenly got a lot more coverage when <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/08/caterina-ciarcelluti-guerrillera-fitness.html" target="_blank">"Wonder Woman" <b>Caterina Ciarcelluti</b> became the face and body the global media picked up on</a> for their stories. And where did they get their images of Caterina working out? Her Instagram, naturally.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/688bf1707046383" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/99/19/7d/688bf1707046383.jpg" height="277" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />But the main effect social media has had has been to take the mainstream media out of the equation. More women get more inspiration from other women's transformative stories and positive messages on Instagram than anywhere else these days. The ones who make it to the mainstream media - <b><a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/fbbuk-brittany-rhodes-and-bbc.html" target="_blank">Brittany Rhodes</a></b>, for example, who appeared in a BBC documentary - are just the most followed tip of the "fitspirational" iceberg. <br /><br /><b>CELEBRITIES</b><br /><br />Like it or not, a lot of women pay a lot of attention to what their favourite celebrities are doing, so also on that tip are women like <b>Davina McCall</b> (the 50-year-old UK TV presenter who featured in the Metro story noted above) and the other fit celebs we <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/celebrity-muscle-uk-davina-mccall.html" target="_blank">featured on FMS last year</a>. Even <a href="http://www.lifeandstylemag.com/posts/what-do-the-kardashians-eat-149321" target="_blank">one of the Kardashians is apparently talking the weight training talk</a> these days, and if that isn't a sign that there's a female muscle bandwagon rolling through celeb world just begging to be jumped on, I don't know what is.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/d63255707046413" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f5/af/59/d63255707046413.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />And then there was <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpTkTW9WBQ" target="_blank">2017's LOVE advent calendar - #staystrong</a>. No, they didn't put proper muscular women behind the virtual doors of their "seasonal online celebration of womanhood", but there is a lot of sweat and even plenty of flexing in there. Again, bandwagon jumping? Nothing wrong with that if you happen to think the bandwagon is the best looking bandwagon you have ever seen. Will it inspire? Well, it probably inspired quite a lot of messiness in teenage bedrooms and, despite the best intentions of Editor-in-Chief Katie Grand, probably not much else. But it's another sign that the world of celebrity, and even the previously size zero travesty fashion world are embracing - perhaps acknowledging is a better word but hey - that "Strong Is Sexy". <br /><br /><b>CROSSFIT</b><br /><br />Lest we forget, other strength and muscle-building sports are available, and while that <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/07/the-super-league-and-shannon.html" target="_blank">Dorian Yates "Super League" thing</a> might have coaxed Shannon back into the free weights area, Crossfit is the biggest and (in this blog's opinion anyway) by far the best - not least because it's one of the very few sports where the top women get more attention (and more roles in blockbuster films) than the top men. <b><i>And</i></b> it's the most attractive to women who prefer a more functional approach to their fitness.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e9f23e707046433" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/94/c8/a3/e9f23e707046433.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />I don't have any actual data to go on, but personally knowing three women who have taken up Crossfit (or at least incorporated it into their training for other sport) in the last couple of years, I thought I would ask around my circle of female muscle <i>cognoscenti</i>. I wasn't very surprised to find that most knew at least three similar women, and then there's that one guy, well, that's why he does FMS' Crossfit stories. <br /><br />So, it's all adding up. More gym membership. more media coverage, more social media inspiration, celebrity endorsement, and Crossfit's functional appeal. More muscle.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/44c9de707046443" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/03/87/86/44c9de707046443.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Well so what? you might be saying. How many of those gym bunnies are ever going to compete? And even if they do, they'll just be wiggling their bums in Bikini, or "Wellness" or whatever. Really, how many women are going to be inspired to build serious muscle via the media - social or otherwise - even if it's their favourite celeb showing off a bit of tummy definition on an otherwise borderline anorexic body? And as for Crossfit...<br /><br />Go on, admit it, you have a major crush on <b>Brooke Ence</b>, don't you?<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/64202c707050333" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/86/67/d7/64202c707050333.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Point taken though. You're not a fan of the pastime, but "the sport".<br /><br /><b>THE SPORT</b><br /><br /><b>New territories</b><br /><br />Over the last few years FMS has occasionally reported from parts of the world where "the sport" and more generally the idea of women weight training to build muscle and compete, have previously been unheard of, taboo, or even, in the extreme case of Iran, illegal. Another story that popped into our inbox in December was all about <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rheamogul/2017/12/27/how-asias-female-bodybuilders-are-smashing-gender-stereotypes-about-body-image/#5c2945851220" target="_blank">how Asian women - "Female Bodybuilders" - were "smashing gender stereotypes"</a>. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b984e0707046513" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b4/4b/bb/b984e0707046513.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />South Korea - one of those countries at the forefront of Asia's female muscle revolution - is currently producing new fan favourites at the rate of about one a week it seems. We've seen on FMS <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2015/11/around-world-india.html" target="_blank">how the Indian media has been celebrating its new wave of competitively successful muscular daughters</a>, how they have <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/around-world-india.html" target="_blank">their own outspoken celebrity muscular female</a>, <b><i>and</i></b> how in one state <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/around-world-india.html" target="_blank">a female bodybuilder actually secured financial support from her state government</a> so she could continue to compete internationally. Women in the Gulf states are also flocking to their (female-only) gyms in ever-increasing numbers, although they will probably never get the chance to compete (unless they have contests with an all-female judging panel and all-female audience, and there's never going to be many pictures of that floating around).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0078d5707046553" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ed/39/06/0078d5707046553.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Point is, lots of women in Asia. If only a tiny minority take up weight training and only a tiny minority of them compete, that's still a lot more muscular women and a lot more female competitors in the world. And the more there are, the more that "stigma" Penpraghai and many more of her Asian iron sisters have to fight lessens, bit by bit, for the women that will follow them. A virtuous circle of ever-increasing female muscle! <br /><br /><b>Figure to Physique</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/423a32707047523" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/d1/e0/7c/423a32707047523.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/8d0aba707047533" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e7/3e/36/8d0aba707047533.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />After a few years of what seemed an endless sorry parade of former pro FBBs "downsizing" into the Women's Physique division (with wildly varying degrees of success), the trend now seems to be for Figure ladies to kick off their heels and flex their lovely muscles. Recently we saw <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/11/natalia-brings-us-together.html" target="_blank"><b>Natalia Coelho</b>'s first Physique outing</a>, as successful a Physique debut as that enjoyed by <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2016/06/muscle-queen-of-new-york.html" target="_blank"><b>Shanique Grant</b> in 2016</a>.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/aff453707046603" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f0/03/ba/aff453707046603.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />At the IFBB's Women's World Fitness Championships last month, <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/03/2017-hot-and-hard-100-countdown-60-41.html" target="_blank">FMS <b>Hot and Hard 100</b> heart-throb <b>Gülüzar Tüfenk</b></a> flexed in anger for the first time - and obviously enjoyed it, even if she did about as poorly as she had been doing in Bodyfitness - and FMS also spotted <a href="http://femalemuscleslave.blogspot.co.uk/2017/06/stage-part-3.html" target="_blank">former Bodyfitness bomb and Czech dream <b>Michaela Kohutová</b></a> also doing Physique for the first time. In the UK and following in <b>Carly Thornton</b>'s thundersteps, 2017's British Physique champ <b>Donna Murphy</b> took her time about it, but she had also previously competed in Bikini, then Bodyfitness, before last year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/a406a5707047573" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b4/21/14/a406a5707047573.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6a5c5a707047623" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/40/fc/ca/6a5c5a707047623.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />These are just a few examples. You can probably add your own from your own countries or among your own favourites. Women who are refusing not to grow.<br /><br /><b>IFBB Pro Bodybuilding</b><br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/656e85707047653" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ee/3d/23/656e85707047653.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/0f5b2a707047693" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/26/da/27/0f5b2a707047693.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />It's not difficult to see the dark side. Just the other day I was watching (I think it was) the 2007 Ms International with a couple of other heads. <b>Cathy Lefrançois</b>, <b>Colette Nelson</b>, <b>Kim Perez</b>, <b>Bonny Priest</b>, <b>Annie Rivieccio</b>, <b>Denise Masino</b>, <b>Betty Pariso</b>, Dayana, Yaxeni, Iris, and (another title she should have won) <b>Heather Policky</b>... The line-up was, as one of the heads drolly pointed out, like all your Christmases on stage at once. A decade on, what hope of such a quality contest? <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/1e8262707047733" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/98/0c/a8/1e8262707047733.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/ccb369707047773" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f4/f4/1f/ccb369707047773.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />True enough. For all the positives to come out of the Wings of Strength takeover (a modicum of control for the women themselves, considerable prize money hikes, and most crucially, the survival of their sport), there simply aren't enough top quality FBBs still competing to make all the (few) shows essential viewing. However, every year Jake and Kristal (now just Jake apparently, but anyway) have added at least a little something, and 2018 will see potentially their most consequential additions yet. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/e29cd1707046643" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/c7/db/8e/e29cd1707046643.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Timed to coincide (pretty much) with the Arnold Classic in Ohio in March, the Female Bodybuilding contest at the Hawaii Pro could well become "our Ms International" in the way that the Rising Phoenix has become known among the women as "our Olympia". At the time of writing there's no sense of how many of the biggest names the show might attract, but given how so many FBBs have got behind Wings of Strength's brainchildren before, there's no reason to doubt this event could, given time, grow into something a little more significant than the other RP qualifiers. And then there's Romania.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b51e9a707046653" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e8/28/81/b51e9a707046653.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a><br /><br />Scheduled for late November, the Wings of Strength Romania Muscle Fest (catchy eh?) will include the first IFBB pro Female Bodybuilding contest held outside North America since... I have no idea. Anyone? Was it pre-internet? Whatever. The first outside North America for a <b><i>very</i></b> long time. No surprises it will be in Romania given how cosy Alina seems to be with Jake these days, and it's also to be seen just how many Europeans or women from other continents might be able to compete. We shouldn't get too excited yet, but you have to start somewhere and it's most definitely a start.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/832059707047783" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/fa/12/a3/832059707047783.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/6a31fc707047793" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/89/b5/06/6a31fc707047793.jpg" /></a><br /><br />And get this - there are two more European events pencilled into the schedule (this is quite sudden - I literally just found out about this) - September, San Marino and October, Milan. Bloody hell! I need to book a flight ticket or two. For more info you should go to <a href="http://www.ifbbpro.com/wp-content/uploads/image/2018/calendar/calendar.pdf" target="_blank">the IFBB 2018 Pro Schedule</a>, <a href="http://www.timgardnerproductions.com/" target="_blank">Tim Gardener Productions</a>, and (surely they will have more info soon) <a href="https://wingsofstrength.net/events/" target="_blank">Wings of Strength's events page</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/wingsofstrength/?hl=en" target="_blank">Instagram</a>.<br /><br />I find myself even more optimistic than when I started the post!<br /><br />September in San Marino anyone? October in Milan? November in Bucharest?<br /><br /><i>Regular posting will resume <b>next</b> Monday.</i><br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4622680399338683301.post-44909141834242334352017-12-30T01:00:00.000-08:002017-12-30T01:00:10.259-08:00Images of 2017<a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/538e7d695390793" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/f8/4e/73/538e7d695390793.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a> <br /><br />Thought we'd spoil you this year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/144fa7695392463" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/98/16/0a/144fa7695392463.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/41a1fb695392773" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/21/33/35/41a1fb695392773.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />Instead of the customary post of 20 to 30 images held together with a commentary that seeks to identify some themes from the world of female muscle in the past twelve months, we've packed up no fewer than <b><i>50</i></b> of our favourite images from this year.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/b3d946695394203" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/3b/1a/18/b3d946695394203.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/3d58b2695394223" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/ef/bc/12/3d58b2695394223.jpg" /></a> <br /><br />And you don't have to sift through tons of text to get to them!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/34c9e8695394283" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/87/c5/1a/34c9e8695394283.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/69a0f6695394313" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/e8/b7/03/69a0f6695394313.jpg" /></a><br /><br />But, you lovely reader, that's not all. Swell has also included the 50 most popular posts of 2017 from <a href="http://6ft1swell.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">his very own personal Tumblr</a> - oh yes, <a href="http://6ft1swell.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">he has a Tumblr</a>. And there's 10 of our favourite 2017 muscle in motion moments posted on <a href="https://www.girlswithmuscle.com/" target="_blank">Girls with Muscle</a> as well.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/c9fa3a695393593" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/3e/40/74/c9fa3a695393593.jpg" /></a> <a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/203f2a695393743" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/52/e1/48/203f2a695393743.jpg" /></a><br /><br />Download <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZsJUSCiJSoW3DNJWZu6o9mRPPUhX3CJP/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">here</a>, unzip (the rar file, but you'll probably want to unzip yourself too). Get comfy, relax, and enjoy. The ten preview pics here are just the tip of the thrillberg.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.imagebam.com/image/4f067b695390923" target="_blank"><img alt="imagebam.com" src="http://thumbs2.imagebam.com/b3/ce/d2/4f067b695390923.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a><br /><br />To all our readers, FMS wishes a very Happy Happy New Year.<br /><br />We'll be back in January.<br />6ft1swellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06340253705001376915noreply@blogger.com2